Who I am Inside Part 2: Petals and Fangs
by Spunky0ne
Summary: As Byakuya and Renji prepare to welcome their children into the world, a house servant casts his eye on Renji and decides to steal the redhead away from the noble. MPREG Warning, lots of fluff and Bya/Ren cuteness.
1. Temptation

**Petals and Fangs: Who I am Inside pt. 2**

**By Spunky0ne**

**Chapter 1: Temptation**

**(Dedicated to alabirdie, who likes Renji as much as I do and thinks he's cute when in distress! Get ready for cuteness, then! Oh, this is an mpreg...a very cute Bya/Ren double pregnancy, so read only if you enjoy that kind of thing! Thanks for reading and don't forget to review. I write a lot of stories and update faster on the ones that get more reviews, so ask and you shall receive!)**

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Byakuya said rather breathlessly, "but isn't this how we _got into_ trouble, Abarai Renji?"

The redhead paused very briefly in his exploration of his spouse's soft, sakura scented flesh and flashed a charming smile.

"Yeah," he agreed, "it was something like that, but that was a one-time thing…and besides, we can't get any more pregnant than we are."

He lowered his head and a shiver went through the noble as a wickedly probing tongue sank into his navel and a hot mouth closed over the area and teased it with warm suction. The sensation dragged a deep, languid moan from the noble as his back arched and his fingers tightened in his lover's thick, red mane.

"S-still," Byakuya managed in a soft, broken hiss, "we are supposed to be talking about how to explain this to Gia…S-soutaichou…everyone…"

"Relax, Bya," Renji said, pulling away, then beginning to kiss his way down from the wet navel to the thickened, blushing member that waited beneath it, "We're not even showing yet. We should be enjoying this while we can. In a few months, sex is going to be pretty much impossible. Besides…this is helping me think."

Byakuya caught his breath sharply and thrust upward hungrily as Renji's mouth wrapped around him and slid slowly down his length. He forced his breathing to slow and looked down at Renji's blissful face as the redhead moved up and down the long shaft, alternating teasing strokes and dizzying suction. He felt warm fingers gently stroke the soft sac at its base and couldn't help releasing another pleasured moan as his hips fought the hand that moved to hold them down.

"How in kami's name c-can you think at a t-time like this, Renji? I c-can barely form a coherent…thought."

Renji chuckled around his cock and Byakuya bit back a cry of pleasure. The noble wanted to kick himself for asking when that wonderful mouth released him and Renji smiled up at him. He had to pinch himself to avoid releasing a pained whimper.

"Do you _really_ want to distract me right now?"

He paused, looking into the glazed gray eyes and laughed softly.

"I didn't think so. But to answer your question, I can think, because I am _giving_ pleasure. I'm sure I'll be as scattered as you when we change roles."

He watched as the smoldering eyes blinked slowly and the noble swallowed…waiting. He was trying stubbornly to look unaffected, but Renji could see the slight tremor in his body and read the impatience beneath the forced calm in his eyes.

"Can I go back to what I was doing now?" Renji asked, smiling devilishly.

Byakuya's eyes narrowed and Renji realized that if he didn't move quickly, he would be the one held down and tormented…a good thing, to be sure, but he enjoyed pleasuring Byakuya, sometimes more than receiving pleasure himself. There was something deeply erotic about seeing his expression change as his controls released and he came undone under the redhead's hands and mouth. There was something patently thrilling about the sensuous sounds he made, sounds that might enter Renji's ears, but then traveled straight to his groin. And both were quite clear in their mutual belief that neither should leave the bedroom until both were sated…sometimes several times over. Although Byakuya was still 'Taichou' at work, their home life was much more equal. Renji couldn't imagine things being much better than they were.

Although, he was still worried about what it would be like to give birth. It was a frightening thought, but one the two of them would have to cope with all too soon. He opened his mouth to say something about it to Byakuya, but swiftly found himself being turned and thrown down somewhat forcefully onto his back. Byakuya's warm weight dropped onto him and held him down securely as the tables were unexpectedly turned and Renji felt the heat between them rise noticeably.

"I don't know how many times I've had to remind you, Abarai," Byakuya said in a low, seductive purr, "not to lose focus in the midst of battle. The tide of the battle can quickly turn and you run the risk of being overtaken."

"Trust you for that!" Renji gasped as Byakuya's mouth invaded his.

He lost the ability to speak as the noble's kido bound his hands and Byakuya began a slow, teasing crawl down his body. He was fascinated with the dark markings that ran all over the redhead's golden tanned skin, and he took every opportunity to explore them…an exploration that left Renji breathless and aching for his lover to leave off them and take him already. But he had asked for it. Upon entering the bedroom, Byakuya had yielded more easily than usual, something that was happening more frequently as of late, leaving Renji convinced that it had to do with the pregnancy. After all, his own sexual drive had been similarly affected.

He didn't have much time to dwell on it as Byakuya's fingers traced their way down the markings on his throat and that wicked mouth followed, his tongue teasing its way along the edges and too slowly downward. He reached the bottom of the tattoos that marked his throat and Renji quivered. He caught the noble looking at him and tried not to look like he was going crazy with lust…but Byakuya's hand was sliding down over chest and stomach, moving over the soft skin of his abdomen and even lower to touch the part of him that couldn't be anything but honest about what it wanted.

And what it wanted paused, barely brushing against it, dragging a groan from deep inside the redhead's chest and leaving him torn about whether losing the upper hand was a good thing or a bad one.

"What's with the kido ropes?" he complained, a bit breathlessly, "You can't just play fair, can you?"

"Hmph," Byakuya mumbled against the skin of his chest, "I don't wish to be disturbed whilst I enjoy the benefit of being the one who maintained focus. If you want the upper hand now, you will have to break the kido and take it…and in any case, I didn't use full strength. You should be able to break them…if you can focus, Abarai…"

The noble's hand tightened around his thick, weeping member and began to slide warmly up and down his length as Byakuya's exploration of his tattoos continued at an unbearably slow speed. Renji strained against the kido ropes, groaning again as a pink lustful tongue drifted over one of his nipples. He couldn't suppress a shiver of delight as it was repeated with the other. He saw Byakuya smiling and realized he had been distracted again, all too easily. At this rate, he would never be able to retake control…although being on the receiving end of Byakuya's ministrations certainly had its benefits too…Renji sighed and relaxed, closing his eyes and arching his back as his lover's tongue worked its way around the edges of the tattoos on his abdomen.

"Ah…oh kami. Bya…that feels so damned…good!"

Byakuya lifted his head, pausing to gaze up into the redhead's eyes playfully.

"Oh…" he said, almost smiling, "so you're not even going to try to break the kido? How…disappointing…"

He paused over Renji's abdomen, letting his breath tease the damp skin he had so recently been exploring with his tongue. He held Renji's eyes, silently challenging him.

"Oh hell, don't do this!" Renji moaned, "Come on! We aren't in training. Just…let's forget the kido ropes and…make love already!"

Byakuya's eyes took on a stern expression.

"My…" he said softly, his voice laced with sarcasm, "someone is _very_ impatient today. Unfortunately for you, your impatience has caused no deeper determination that might actually help you to…"

He stopped mid-sentence as the kido ropes shattered. The redhead's hands shifted on his body and sought to throw him down again. Byakuya held him down just long enough so that neither could argue that he had lost to the redhead, then he allowed himself to be turned and brought down onto his back. The redhead wasted no time now, but parted the noble's thighs and positioned himself between them. He looked down into the dark gray eyes and felt his heart quiver. Byakuya was looking at him with such affection as the redhead had never seen in his eyes before. He was beautiful…there was no other word to describe it.

"What?" he said, laying his body warmly against his lover's.

"I was just rather…surprised," Byakuya said softly.

"Surprised?" Renji repeated, "Why"

Byakuya's eyes sparked and Renji felt it register in his loins.

"Because…I lied to you…"

"You…lied to me?" Renji asked, frowning.

Byakuya nodded and lifted himself to nip gently at the redhead's ear.

"I told you the kido ropes weren't full strength."

Renji blinked in surprise.

"They…"

Byakuya gave him an amused smirk and nodded.

"They were…"

"Shit, that's a first!" Renji exclaimed.

"And to reward you, I'll offer no more resistance," Byakuya said softly, relaxing beneath him.

"Aw, but it's fun when you resist," Renji said, forcing himself to resist the urge to dive onto the noble and take him then and there.

Instead, he rested his body on top of Byakuya's and reclaimed his lover's mouth, plunging deeply inside and entangling their tongues. Byakuya moaned into his mouth, running his hands down the redhead's muscular back and pulling at his hips, while pushing his own hips upward.

"Mhmmm," Renji mumbled into his mouth, "_Now_, look who's impatient…"

The look in Byakuya's eyes warned him not to delay anymore. He shifted his body and brought his hardened member to the noble's entrance. He kissed Byakuya harder, reaching down and wrapping a hand around his lover's flushed arousal and sliding up and down its length as he slowly worked his way inside.

"Abarai!" Byakuya hissed impatiently.

"Well…I don't want to hurt you…"

"I will hurt you if you keep me waiting any longer," the noble threatened, "Enough teasing, move!"

Renji gauged from his expression that he was only half kidding. He dove back into that sweet, perfect mouth and moved experimentally. Practically growling, the deeply aroused noble grabbed his hips and pulled them in roughly. Renji took the hint and began thrusting. He meant to start slowly, but Byakuya's legs wrapped warmly around him and the noble's slender, strong body writhed hungrily beneath his. He attacked the soft, pale throat with kisses and heated suction, smiling against Byakuya's skin as he felt the soft vibration of his lover's moans of pleasure. He lifted his head to catch a glimpse of Byakuya's face and almost came at the sight of gray eyes glazed over and lost and lovely pale features that usually looked so stern or serious, but now were completely transformed…awakened and alive. The dark, beautiful eyes blinked and locked on his, flaring with life as Renji thrust in harder and found the center of pleasure that forced his lover from enjoyment into ecstasy. He clamped his mouth down on Byakuya's, devouring his cries of pleasure, and he emptied himself inside his lover as the noble's hot seed pulsed out and onto their joined bodies.

Renji collapsed onto the noble's heaving chest and the two continued with a barrage of kisses as the pounding of their hearts very gradually slowed. The redhead closed his eyes, pulling away from Byakuya's mouth and resting his head against a pale and slightly sweat-dampened shoulder, his cock still buried in the noble's depths and their mingled scents blending deliciously in the air around them.

"Mmmm…" he breathed against the soft, white skin, "Can we just forget everything else for a while and stay right here?"

Byakuya sighed softly, his breath disturbing the tumble of red hair his face rested in.

"I knew it was a bad idea letting you talk me into this. Renji…we have to figure out what to tell everyone…"

"Hmmm…" mumbled Renji sleepily, "What's to say, really? The council slipped you a fertility drug…we had sex and we both ended up pregnant. Pretty self-explanatory, if you ask me…"

"And how do we explain this to Gia?" Byakuya inquired archly.

"Hmmm…we should just be honest with her…without going into detail. We'll just tell her that the council wanted you to have babies and they did something that made us both pregnant. After we start talking brothers and sisters, she won't think of much else except a shitload of baby names."

"That's it," Byakuya mused, "We'll have her help us come up with names for all of them."

"Except we don't know how many or what genders…"

"But we'll find out as we go and we'll keep the focus on that."

Renji nodded.

"Good idea. What about Soutaichou?"

"Well…he'll likely be annoyed with the fact you're my subordinate…but he can hardly claim it's never happened before…and the fact that we're both expecting means that he can't say that I used my position to coerce you. We'll likely be on desk duty throughout this…situation…" Byakuya surmised.

"Yeah, most likely," Renji agreed, smiling, "I think I know two knocked up shinigamis who are going to be very bored."

"We won't be bored," Byakuya said with certainty, "I think when reports are filed and there is nothing to do, we will be reading and preparing."

"Reading? Preparing?" Renji asked, furrowing his brow.

Byakuya's eyes narrowed.

"Have you ever had a baby?" he asked with a tone approaching sarcasm.

"No," said Renji, "but neither have you…"

"You are correct," said Byakuya, "but by the time these little ones arrive, both you and I are going to know all we can learn about giving birth and taking care of them."

"Ugh…" Renji moaned, uncomfortably.

"What's wrong?"

The redhead pulled free of him and charged into the bathroom. Byakuya shook his head, smiling and following him into the bathroom. He knelt next to Renji, placing an arm around him as he emptied his stomach, then dropped back against the noble, catching his breath.

"Damn, I wish I could stop having to throw up!" Renji moaned, "That part really sucks…"

"I agree," Byakuya said, kissing his throat, just beneath the ear, "but you're in luck. I'm actually feeling quite good today. I'll be happy to make you some tea. Would you like ginger tea to soothe your stomach of just the green tea?"

Renji look up at him gratefully.

"Ginger, I think," he said, letting his head rest on the noble's shoulder.

"Very well…ginger tea, then. Why don't you go and get back into bed. We have time yet before we have to get up and start dealing with all of this."

Byakuya stood and helped Renji to his feet. They walked back to the bed together, exchanging kisses all of the way.

"Bya, do you have any idea why we're like this…I mean so…so, uh…"

"So…?" Byakuya queried.

"You know…so…well, hell, I just look at you and I can't stop wanting to have sex with you. Everything about you is so…uh…I don't know, just so damned sexy!"

Byakuya allowed himself a soft chuckle and tucked the redhead back into bed. Renji blinked in frustration.

"Ah…is it just me, then?"

Byakuya sat down on the bed next to him and kissed him lightly on the mouth.

"See…you just get near me or kiss me and you smell so good…and your hair tickles my skin and…"

"Abarai?"

"Hai?"

"Do you want that tea or do you want me to climb into that bed and have my way with you again?"

"You mean that I have to choose?" Renji asked, grinning cutely.

"I mean," Byakuya said, placing a hand on his face, "that it isn't just you. I am feeling the same strong attraction you are…and if you continue to tease me, I'll forget the tea and have sex with you right now."

"Kami…the temptation!" mused Renji.

He looked up at Byakuya and read his hungry expression.

"Fuck the tea," he said, taking hold of the noble and pulling him down onto the bed.

Moments later, the two bodies were entwined, the tea forgotten. They were far too involved in each other to notice the servant who peeked into the room, stared for a moment, then slipped out again, closing the door softly behind him.

"Lucky bastard nobles," he breathed, "They get to have all of the fun!"

He continued down the hallway, his mind still replaying the lovely image of that beautifully tattooed ass…


	2. Doctor's Orders

**Chapter 2: Doctor's Orders**

"Unohana taichou will see you now," Isane said, smiling.

She led them down a short hallway and into Unohana's small, orderly office and motioned for them to sit.

"Let me do the explaining," said Byakuya, "I think it would be best to be direct and say the least amount necessary."

"Hai, Taichou, whatever you think is best," Renji said, smiling.

Byakuya took a calming breath as the healer entered and Isane closed the door behind her, leaving the three alone to talk. Unohana smiled and greeted them warmly, then sat down at her desk and looked up at them expectantly.

"Isane said that the two of you had something to discuss with me," she prompted them.

"Yes, actually," Byakuya said, in what seemed to Renji to be a very even tone, "We've had something rather…odd…occur and we need to handle it as quietly as possible…though I doubt we'll be able to conceal it for long."

"Something…odd?" Unohana said curiously, "What happened?"

"Well, I made an agreement with the Kuchiki Elders that if they would allow me to marry Abarai Renji in an honorable fashion and with their blessing, that I would allow them to see to the situation regarding heirs to my leadership. Of course, I assumed that they would decide upon a son of one of the other Kuchiki households and simply begin preparing him."

"But that wasn't the route they took, I assume…" Unohana finished.

"You can say that again!" laughed Renji.

Byakuya glared at him and Renji coughed and covered his smile.

"We did not discover right away what was done, but to make a long story short, they caused Renji and I to become…well…we are with child…"

"Uh…more like a truckload of children!" Renji said, unable to restrain himself.

"A…truckload…of…"Unohana repeated, furrowing her brow.

Byakuya's glare became dangerous and Renji bit his lip.

"Which one of you is with child?" the healer asked.

Byakuya and Renji exchanged glances.

"Both of us," they said together.

"I see," said Unohana, her smile tightening slightly, "so…they made the two of you fertile and…"

"Actually, only Taichou was made fertile, but because our souls had been switched, he passed the condition to me during our lovemaking and we both took each other, so we both ended up pregnant…"

He trailed off, noting that Byakuya's reiatsu was flaring painfully and he had his face buried in his hands. Unohana maintained her cool, professional demeanor, but her eyes narrowed.

"I think perhaps you had better explain in a bit more detail."

Seeing that it was unlikely Byakuya was going to go on, Renji took the lead.

"You remember that Taichou and I were attacked by a hollow in Hueco Mundo…" Renji began.

"I received a report on the incident from the healer at the base who treated you, of course, but it said nothing about soul switching…"

"We didn't actually switch bodies until we had returned."

"But when you did discover it, why didn't you simply come to me?" she asked.

"Taichou was concerned that…well, that we would be thought to be insane if we made such a claim…"

"And yet, you being in his body and swearing…and saying odd things in our taichou's meeting was expected to be unnoticed," she observed, "Interesting…and it explains a few things."

"Well, anyway, we went to Urahara Kisuke and he helped us figure out that it was the Neko-hineri…so we had to go to Hueco Mundo and catch it…"

"Renji, I don't think she needs to hear about the details of that…" Byakuya said warningly.

"I heard nothing at all about an unauthorized mission into Hueco Mundo…or any rumors of an unauthorized attack on Las Noches."

"I had to rescue Taichou!" Renji exclaimed, "He was captured by Aizen Sou…"

He paused as Byakuya's eyes met his with such malevolence as to take his breath away. Unohana smirked and chuckled very softly.

"What Renji meant to say," Byakuya said, meeting her eyes guardedly, "was that after some research, it was discovered that the attack by the Neko-hineri was responsible for our…unfortunate situation and there was a way to return us to our bodies, which we were able to do."

"I am certain that the story of how must be fascinating!" theorized the healer.

"Well, we had to eat these seeds from the Rukongai to loosen our souls then make love to force out the reiatsu. It was funny because Taichou didn't want to make l…OW!" Renji howled as Byakuya's foot came down on his under the cover of the desk.

"We returned to our bodies and I requested the blessing of the Elders for our marriage, which they gave, after we made our agreement. They used their power to…raise my level of fertility and to make me able to impregnate Renji. We did not realize that the fact that our souls had been switched would cause me to transfer that fertility to Renji as well. And because we both…"

"Received seed?" provided Unohana, nodding.

"Yes," Byakuya went on, "we both became pregnant. And because of the intensity of the Elders' enchantment, there are multiple children in each of us…"

"Ah, that makes more sense now," Unohana said, rising, "Now, if you will come with me, I will have a look at the two of you and we can see just how many children each of you is carrying."

She laughed at the expression on Byakuya's face.

"You mean…you believe us?" he asked, looking mystified.

"Of course," she laughed, "No one could make up a story like that…and besides, I was at the taichou's meeting. We all heard…well, never mind. Let's have a look at the two of you and see how I can help you."

She led them out of the office and into a large examination room.

"Who would like to be first?" she asked.

"Uh…" said Renji, looking nervous, "Taichou, you mind going first? I uh…um…"

"What?"

"I uh…can't stand needles…"

"Well, you're going to have to get used to them…" he trailed off, staring at the expression on his spouse's face.

He frowned and his eyes flared.

"Get onto the table, Abarai!" he said sharply, "You're not getting out of this, so you may as well just get it over with. Watching me will only unnerve you."

"Why? Is it a big needle? A lot of them?"

"Renji, you face down hollows that slash you with blades, teeth and claws all of the time! You're afraid of a little needle?"

"So it's just one?" he asked nervously, "Taichou, I don't feel so well…"

"Then, lie down…now!" Byakuya said in an annoyed tone.

His face pale and his reiatsu swirling, the red head bared himself to the waist and climbed onto the examination table. Unohana rested her hands on Renji's tattooed abdomen, extending her senses and smiling as she encountered multiple reiatsu pulses beneath her hands. She sent pulses of her own reiatsu against each she sensed and each sent back a pulse in return.

"My," she said softly, "I count six individual reiatsu pulses. All seem to be developing very well, perfectly normally. I'm guessing from the stage of development and what you said before that this happened around the time of your wedding?"

"Hai," said Renji, trying not to flinch as the healer's hands explored his abdomen, pressing gently and moving on to another point, pressing gently, then moving on, "on our wedding night to be exact…and what a…"

He stopped, noting the look of warning Byakuya gave him. Unohana pulled her hands away for a moment

"It seems that you are indeed pregnant and having six healthy babies…but that being said, I think with the fact that both of you are male and you have multiple births makes you too high-risk for a normal pregnancy."

Byakuya's eyes took on a look of concern.

"What? You mean that we can't…"

"I mean that I cannot simply allow the babies to grow the normal way. But do not worry. There is a procedure we can use to keep your babies in reiatsu form until they are delivered. Your abdomens will still expand, but not as much as if you were humans with multiple births. It will be somewhat noticeable, but with a little clothing adjustment, can be covered…in case you do not wish to advertise your condition. The procedure also eases the delivery. When it is time, you will go into a state of semi-consciousness and the reiatsu will emerge from your bodies one by one. It can even be done without sedation…so," she said, smiling down at Renji, "less needles for you."

She looked up at Byakuya.

"Would you please change places with Renji now?"

Byakuya shed his uniform top and took the place Renji had occupied. She studied his abdomen carefully, as she had Renji's then smiled down at him.

"I sense four individual reiatsu and all of them seem perfectly healthy as well. I recommend, however as I did with Renji, that we use our procedure to keep them in reiatsu form until after the birth. It is a very safe procedure that has been successfully used many times…although admittedly not for multiple births. We simply haven't had that situation arise. But do not worry. You and your babies will be fine."

"Ten children…" mused Byakuya in a soft voice.

"Plus our Gia," added Renji.

The redhead fell silent as Unohana produced a syringe and drew blood from a calm Byakuya.

"You going to leave some in him?" asked Renji as she filled six vials with Byakuya's blood, then took a sample of reiatsu.

"It's always more at the beginning as there are a few tests to run, just to make sure everything goes well. Not to worry, Abarai Renji. Now, have a seat next to Byakuya, so I can draw your blood."

Growing paler by the moment, Renji took his place next to Byakuya, not quite realizing that he was holding his breath as the needle approached. As it touched him, his body went slack and fell against Byakuya's. The noble chuckled affectionately and simply held his spouse in place as his blood was drawn, then rose and laid him down on the examination table afterward.

"He'll be all right, won't he?" Byakuya asked, a note of worry in his tone.

"Yes," the healer assured him, "Renji only fainted. He'll be fine once he wakes. But while he is sleeping is a good time for me to tell you to keep a close watch on him. He and his babies are healthy now, but even with the procedure I will use on the two of you…because he has so many babies, it is a higher risk. The two of you need to eat a lot of good, healthy food and I will have you come in to have your blood and reiatsu checked weekly for changes. I am placing the two of you on desk duty only for the duration of your pregnancies. I also recommend that you do not attempt to use your powers except for emergencies. You will likely be subject to power flares and fall offs. It is okay for the two of you to engage in intimacy, as long as it does not produce any discomfort or other worrisome symptoms."

She smiled at Byakuya's bemused expression.

"I know I'm throwing a lot of information at you…but do you have any questions?"

Byakuya nodded.

"After the procedure, will we still have cravings and morning sickness…and…um, other symptoms like that?"

"Yes, I'm afraid you will. You will still have chemical changes occurring, so will continue to have such symptoms as cravings, nausea, vomiting, food aversions and increased libido…"

"So he was right about that…" mused Byakuya.

The noble blushed slightly and Unohana chuckled.

"Do you have any further questions, Kuchiki taichou?"

"When will you perform the procedure you told us about?" he asked.

"I can do it right now. It will only take a few minutes for each of you and there is no need for anesthesia…although…it looks as though Abarai Renji wouldn't have required any anyway!"

She turned away and leaned over Renji, placing several monitors on his abdomen, then placing her hands on him and focusing deeply. She released her reiatsu into Renji's body, then looked up at Byakuya and smiled warmly.

"And that's all there is to the procedure…very simple, really."

"That is a relief," commented Byakuya gratefully.

He sighed and gazed at Renji affectionately as the redhead stirred and opened his eyes.

"Ugh…sorry…must have drifted off. Are we done yet?" he asked groggily.

"Almost," Unohana said, good naturedly, "I just need to perform the reiatsu seal procedure on Byakuya and we'll be done."

"Oh…well…I guess that wasn't so bad, right?" he said, still blinking in confusion.

"Not as though you would know," commented Byakuya, helping him to his feet, then lying down on the examination table.

Unohana leaned over Byakuya and quickly set the seal in place, then drew back and looked up at Renji.

"See…we are finished…and nothing in the slightest to worry about."

"Great!" he said, turning to Byakuya, "Hey, can we get out of here? I'm starving! There's a really nice place on the way back that has a tasty sweet and sour…"

"Arigato, Unohana taichou," Byakuya said gratefully.

"You are most welcome, Kuchiki taichou," she said happily, "please accept my congratulations. You and Renji are going to have a fabulous adventure!"

"It has already been quite an adventure," Byakuya replied, his eyes rising to gaze at Renji, "Nothing in my life has been normal or expected since Abarai Renji and I have been together."

Unohana giggled.

"May your marriage always be this adventurous," she said, bowing her head.

"Madam, bite your tongue!" Byakuya said, his eyes twinkling softly.

"Taichou…why must you speak about me as though I'm not here?" Renji complained.

"I believe it is time for us to go."

"Don't forget to book your next appointment on the way out. Remember, I am going to want to see the two of you weekly throughout your gestation…just to be on the safe side…"

"Very well. Come along, Renji. If we hurry, we can pick up something on the way home."

"After you Taichou," Renji said, holding the door open.


	3. Preparations

**Chapter 3: Preparations**

Gia sat quietly under a sakura tree at the top of the waterfall, gazing up at the night sky. Renji sat nearby, leaning against Byakuya and also looking upward.

"If you look up there," Byakuya said softly, "in the constellation, Taurus, you'll see a lovely cluster of seven stars, called the Pleiades…the seven sisters. There is a myth that says the goddess Artemis was out in the woods with seven pretty lady friends and the mighty hunter, Orion, came upon them. Orion had rather an inflamed ego…"

"He means the guy was a real jerk," explained Renji, making Gia giggle and Byakuya glare at him out of the corner of an eye.

"Hmm, he could have used some lessons in proper ways of courtship," Byakuya went on.

"But, Bya, the guy was trying to pick up on seven ladies at once. By definition, that's not courtship…I mean, it's not like he was thinking marriage. He just wanted…"

"…to _date_ all of them," Byakuya finshed, a note of tension in his voice.

"So, in addition to having a big ego, this Orion had a death wish…" whispered Renji.

Gia giggled again and Byakuya glared at Renji.

"Have you _seen_ how ticked girls get when you try to date more than one of them at a time?" Renji asked, grinning.

"No," said Byakuya in an annoyed tone, "and I hope you're going to tell me that you haven't either…"

The reiatsu around the noble rose slightly and Renji flinched.

"To get back to our story," Byakuya went on, "the seven sisters became very upset at his rudeness and he refused to go away…"

"At which point, Artemis should have pulled out her zanpakutou and ban kai'd the hell out of him…"

"But Artemis didn't have her zanpakutou with her…" Byakuya went on.

"…and apparently couldn't summon it to her hand at will…" Renji added.

"The sisters, very annoyed by this time, ran away into the woods. And being enamored of both girls and hunting, Orion couldn't resist chasing after them."

"He sounds really desperate to get that date," commented Renji.

"His behavior startled and frightened them," Byakuya continued, "and they sought help from Artemis, who asked her father, Zeus to assist them in escaping."

"When there's trouble, just go running to Daddy…" smiled Renji.

"I do," said Gia, "If it's something really hard that I can't do myself."

"Well, these seven ladies were having a very difficult time escaping, as Orion was a skilled hunter," Byakuya explained, "and Artemis…"

"You would think a powerful goddess of the hunt wouldn't need help from Daddy to stop some silly mortal," criticized Renji.

"Well, as I said, his skills in hunting were impeccable…"

"O-kay!" mused Renji.

"So she asked her father for help."

"And as is so often the case, dear ol' Dad didn't have a clue…"

"Zeus was very busy running the heavens…"

"Aww, come on!" complained Renji, "Too busy to help his kid? What kind of a father was he?"

"And Artemis was pestering him while he was busy, so he became quite exasperated and lost his temper. And he turned those seven sisters into seven lovely doves, so they could fly away…"

"Did he turn them back when they got away?" Gia asked.

"Well," said Byakuya, "as a matter of fact, those doves flew so far that they flew into the very stars…"

"And there you have the first space explorers!" exclaimed Renji, earning another giggle from Gia and a huff of annoyance from his spouse.

"They flew into the stars and became the Pleiades," Byakuya said archly, "and Artemis was so upset at losing her friends that she asked her brother, Apollo, to set a trap to kill Orion."

"Nice goddess," commented Renji, "very mature…"

"She was avenging her friends, Renji. You should understand her way of thinking."

Apollo set a trap, using a Scorpion, and Orion was indeed killed, but in an odd twist of fate, Zeus placed Orion in the stars right near the Pleiades, so that he still hunts the seven sisters, to this day."

"And the scorpion is still there too," added Renji, hunting him!"

Byakuya nodded.

"So the poor sisters were stuck in the stars and instead of having Orion catch them, they were caught by Zeus and Poseiden…"

"Renji…"

"And?" Gia queried curiously.

Byakuya gave Renji a 'You got yourself into that one, now dig yourself out' kind of look and crossed his arms.

"You were saying, Renji?"

"Oh…uh, the gods Zeus and Poseiden made babies with different ones of them, making other myths we could sit up all night talking about."

"Were they married?" asked Gia.

"Well, no," said Renji, blushing slightly, "because Zeus was already married…"

"Uh-oh!" the girl said, "That reminds me of when the fish vendor's husband in Inuzuri made babies with another lady and the fish vendor lady was screaming and hitting him with fish!" laughed Gia, "We watched and laughed, then took the fish off the ground and washed and cooked it for dinner."

"A sensible thing to do, I imagine," sighed Byakuya, nuzzling close to Renji.

He gave Renji a glance and then looked at Gia.

"Gia," he said quietly, "something very…odd…has happened to Renji and me. And it is, I think, a good thing, but it is going to make things a bit different for us."

Gia tilted her head questioningly.

"When I married Renji, I had to get permission from the Kuchiki council of Elders so that they would bless our marriage. They didn't want to do that, because when I became clan leader, I agreed to make children to be clan leaders after me. But men aren't meant to make babies together, so I agreed to let them see to the making of the next heir in exchange for being able to marry Renji."

"Uh-huh?" the girl said, furrowing her brow.

"Well, the council made an enchantment that they placed on me so that even though Renji and I are both male, I could make Renji have a baby."

"Daddy Ren is going to have a baby?" Gia said breathlessly, her eyes widening with delight.

"Um…well," said Renji, "It seems that the enchantment was very strong…so…"

"You're having _two_?" squealed Gia happily, jumping to her feet.

"Actually," chuckled Renji nervously, "I'm having six…"

"_Six_," shouted Gia, "WOW! I never saw anyone have six babies…except the cats and dogs in Inuzuri! You're going to have six babies, really?"

Renji flushed and nodded.

"And that isn't all we have to tell you," Byakuya went on, "You remember that Renji and I were attacked by a creature that caused us to switch bodies. Well, because of that, I didn't just make Renji have babies, he made me have babies too."

Gia's eyes grew round as saucers.

"How many are _you_ going to have, Daddy Bya?" she asked.

"Four," said Byakuya.

"Six and four makes ten!" shouted Gia, "I get ten babies!"

"That's right," said Byakuya, smiling, "You will have ten brothers and sisters, though we won't know how many of each until they are born."

"But we're going to need some help, you see," Renji went on, "because we have to come up with names and feed them and…"

"Oh, I know how to help with babies!" Gia said excitedly, "I helped take care of babies before in Inuzuri!"

"And I'll bet you were wonderful at it," said Byakuya, "We shall certainly need your help. I'm glad you are happy about this, Gia."

"Who wouldn't be happy about ten brothers and sisters!" laughed the girl.

She leapt to her feet and turned back toward the manor.

"Where are you going?" Byakuya asked.

"Back to the house to start thinking up and writing down names!" Gia said excitedly.

Byakuya started to get up to follow.

"You two stay there and rest," said Gia, "I saw how tired the bread vendor's wife was after she had just one baby…and you are going to be exhausted!"

She flash stepped away, leaving her fathers looking after her.

Renji chuckled and shook his head, then cuddled close to the noble, taking the dark haired shinigami's head onto his shoulder. Byakuya sighed softly and closed his eyes.

"That went very well," he said softly, "She is extremely pleased."

"Yeah," chuckled Renji, "and she didn't even ask any difficult questions!"

Byakuya yawned and nipped gently at the redhead's throat, prompting an exchange of playful kisses. Some time later, the two rose and turned back toward the manor, holding hands and walking slowly.

"Are you feeling better about this?" Byakuya asked as they walked.

"Renji smiled a bit anxiously.

"I'm pleased as hell we're having babies," Renji replied, "but I'm still not happy about all of the needles."

"That's all right," Byakuya said, slipping under the redhead's arm, "I promise that every time you faint, I'll be there to catch you."

"Nice!" laughed Renji, "Anyway, the reiatsu procedure Unohana taichou did, helped some…because I won't get so big and the reiatsu will come out without them having to do any cutting…"

"That is a relief," agreed the noble, "We should be able to let our clothes out a bit and not be too obvious. But I am not looking forward to so much desk duty. That will be very boring."

"What do you mean?" Renji said, giving him an affectionate squeeze, "I am looking forward to having all of that time with you…reading about how to take care of babies, decorating the nursery…"

"Nurseries…" Byakuya corrected him, "There will be two."

"Two? Why not put them all in one room?" Renji asked.

"Boys and girls, Renji…It would be best to separate them by gender…"

"Why?"

Byakuya chuckled.

"I don't know…Just…when I was growing up, that's how it was done."

"And what if we have a lot more of one gender than the other? What then?"

Byakuya gave a genuine laugh.

"I don't know, Abarai. I haven't actually thought that far ahead."

Renji frowned at him cutely.

"All right! Who are you and what have you done with my Taichou?" he asked with mock seriousness.

Byakuya's head bowed slightly and his smile widened. Renji stopped and caught the noble's face in his hands. Byakuya gazed back at him questioningly.

"You look beautiful when you're happy like this, Byakuya," he said softly.

He leaned forward and brought their lips together warmly.

"Hell, you're beautiful anyway…but I get the shivers when you smile and laugh like that."

"Well," said Byakuya, returning his kiss, "don't get too used to it. It's likely the chemical changes in my body and will go away when the children are born."

Renji chuckled into his shoulder, disturbing the long, silken strands of black hair.

"Okay, then I'll just enjoy it for as long as it lasts. Because…I love seeing you this happy."

"And I love seeing you so happy also," said Byakuya, pressing their lips together again.

They turned back toward the manor and Renji slipped an arm around the noble as they continued walking.

"So…tomorrow we tell Soutaichou and the council, huh?" he said quietly.

"Yes," answered Byakuya, "Soutaichou will likely be a bit flustered. You should let me do the talking this time…with no interruptions."

"Sure thing, Taichou."

"Can I ask you something?" Byakuya asked, stopping and looking into his eyes, "Why is it that anyone else can use that word…and it's simply a military designation…but you say it and…it feels very different."

Renji grinned.

"I used to use it to show you respect. Now I just use it because that's who you are to me. It's more of an affectionate word."

Byakuya sighed and started walking again.

"So are you going to need the ginger tea tonight or are you feeling better?" Byakuya asked.

"Actually, for the first time since we found out about this, I feel pretty good. I think we can go with green tea tonight…but I make no guarantees about tomorrow. Mornings can be especially bad."

Byakuya nodded.

They reached the back gate and moved into the garden, closing the gate behind them.

"So have you thought about what you'll say to the council of Elders?" Renji asked.

"I'm barely to the point of considering civil conversation as opposed to simply employing my ban kai on the lot of them," Byakuya sighed, "What's to say? I agreed to let them take care of the question of heirs. They did. End of story. I'm certain they'll be thrilled at how many little Kuchikis we'll have running around."

"I hope they're all as beautiful as you," commented Renji, "shiny black hair, dark eyes, long eyelashes…"

Byakuya stopped and wrapped his arms around the redhead.

"I imagine we'll have a mixture of traits among them…but Renji…don't say things like that. I think you are the one who is beautiful. I love everything about the way you look. Just because we're different…"

"I know," said Renji, giving him a short kiss, "I just get a lot more pleasure looking at you than myself is all."

"Our children are going to be beautiful, no matter who they favor, Renji."

"Yeah…" Renji said, turning them towards the bedroom, "So, Byakuya, how does the next clan leader get picked from among the ten children?"

"Once all of the eligible children have their powers, the strongest among them will be chosen as heir to the leadership. That one will train at my side to learn how to act in the position of leader."

"Oh…so, it's not the first born son?"

"No…not necessarily the first born or a male. We've never had a female clan leader, but it has been because the strongest among our children have always been male so far…but a female child could be chosen."

"So…we don't have to worry if these kids are all girls…"

"Ten girls?" Byakuya mused, not quite able to suppress a smile, "Renji, the odds of that…"

"I know," laughed Renji, "but it would be funny…"

"It would be frightening…"

"Yeah, I think we'd die from an overload of cuteness!"

They reached the bedroom doors and walked inside, leaving the doors open. A pair of depthless black eyes watched them go. A dark form slipped out of the bushes and moved closer, continuing to watch as the two emerged from the dressing area and climbed into the bed, wrapping themselves warmly around each other and sending each other off to sleep with a flurry of kisses.

"Don't get to used to that…" the watcher mused.


	4. Preparations Cont

**Chapter 4: Preparations**

Byakuya woke the next morning to find himself alone in bed and feeling a peculiar lurching in his stomach. Unsettled, he sat up and looked around, then climbed out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom, falling to his knees and retching. His head spun and he took slow breaths, waiting for the feeling to stop. A dizzy feeling swept over him again and he threw up again, then sat with his back against the wall, moaning softly with his face in his hands.

"Daddy Bya?" called a soft voice.

Just a minute," he said, pushing himself to his feet and stepping over to the sink to wash his face. He moved back to the bathroom door and opened it to find Gia standing just outside with a concerned look on her young face.

"Daddy Bya, you look like you feel really bad," she said, gazing up at him, "You are very white in your face."

"I'm fine," he assured her, "but I think that I could use some fresh air. Would you like to walk with me?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" the girl asked.

Byakuya nodded.

"I'm feeling much better now. Come."

The two left the bedroom and walked out into the gardens, then slowly along the trail. They stopped now and again to look closely at some of the flowers and plants and to sit by the koi pond. They circled around and had started back toward the house, when Byakuya stopped and put a hand to his head, swaying dizzily.

"Daddy Bya!" cried Gia, pulling on his arm, "Daddy Bya, are you okay?"

Byakuya's legs gave way and he dropped to his knees and placed his palms on the ground. His breaths became short and he groaned and started to sink down onto the path.

"Daddy Bya! Daddy Bya!" squealed Gia.

The girl ran for the nearest guard and grabbed his arm and pointed.

"There's something wrong with Daddy Bya!" she told the guard, "We need to take him to Unohana taichou!"

The guard nodded and sounded the grounds alarm, then went and kneeled next to Byakuya.

"Did he say what was wrong?" the guard asked Gia.

"No," said the girl, "He just started to look really pale and he fell down. It didn't seem like he could talk!"

"Gia!" called Renji from across the yard, "What's going on?"

Seeing that the girl was nearly in tears and then seeing Byakuya lying on the ground, he flash stepped to them and dropped to his knees next to the noble.

"Byakuya!" he called, gently lifting him, "C'mon, don't scare Gia and me like this! Wake up, okay?"

He lifted the unconscious noble into his arms and carried him back to the bedroom, setting him in their bed and sitting with Gia next to him until Unohana taichou arrived. The healer sat down next to Byakuya and drew blood and reiatsu samples, then extended her hands over him, concentrating and raising a field of healing green light over him. After several minutes, Byakuya stirred and his eyes opened.

"Wh-what happened?" he asked, cringing and placing a hand on his abdomen.

"You lost consciousness while walking in the garden with your daughter," Unohana told him.

"You almost scared me to death!" Gia said, her face serious and her dark eyes wide.

"Me too," added Renji, his eyes misted and damp, "I was really worried."

"Well," said Unohana taichou, "Byakuya and his babies are both fine."

She gazed at Byakuya sternly.

"But you have to remember that your body is trying to provide for five people now. I know you haven't been eating enough. My examination showed you to have reduced reiatsu and not enough nutrients in your system. You need to eat more and if your reiatsu remains so low, we'll need to use reiatsu infusions to keep it stable. I'm going to take these samples and have them examined. You should be fine, once you start eating more, but I want you to stay in bed and rest for the rest of the day."

She turned to Renji and Gia.

"I think I'll need the two of you to keep a close eye on Kuchiki taichou," she said, smiling, "He is to have three good sized meals every day and healthy snacks between meals."

She turned to Byakuya.

"If you can't eat that much all at once, you can have more, smaller meals, but you simply must eat more."

She gathered her medical supplies and returned them to her bag, then started for the door. She stopped and nodded to Gia.

"As Kuchiki taichou is very forgetful about eating and Abarai fukutaichou is very busy taking care of himself, I am putting you in charge of seeing that Byakuya eats meals as he should."

Gia nodded in acceptance.

"I'll make sure he does!" she promised.

Byakuya smiled tolerantly.

"And I will try not to give you any more trouble," he said, wrapping an arm around the girl.

They watched as Unohana taichou left. As soon as the door closed behind her, Gia turned to Byakuya and gave him a stern look.

"I am going to make something for you. Don't get out of bed!"

She flash stepped away, leaving her amused fathers looking after her. Renji sat down next to the bed and studied his life partner for a moment.

"You know, you really scared Gia and me. I know you didn't mean to, but you and I both know you have a tendency to focus too much on taking care of everyone else and you forget about yourself, but now that you have four babies inside you, you just can't do that, Byakuya!"

"Well," said Byakuya, looking down at the blankets, "It's not like I meant to…"

"If something's bugging you or you're under stress, you need to tell me!"

"I do tell you…"

"No, not really. I know you're pissed off at the council, worried about how our squad will function with both of us on desk duty, and kami knows, you're nervous about telling Soutaichou, but something else is bothering you…and I need you to tell me what it is!"

Byakuya sighed and shook his head.

"It's nothing…" he insisted.

"Bullshit…if it was nothing, it wouldn't have interfered with you taking care of yourself properly. Come on! It's just the two of us here. You can tell me…whatever it is…"

Byakuya glanced up at Renji, his mouth tightening.

"It isn't anything anyone can do anything about anyway. It's just…" he stopped, a haunted look crossing his features.

Renji slipped an arm around his shoulders and kissed him encouragingly.

"Tell me," he said quietly.

Byakuya stared at him for a moment, then let his eyes drop again.

"I have been…having nightmares," he admitted.

Renji nodded.

"It's normal to have nightmares during pregnancy. Unohana taichou told us we might. I have'em too. I dream about having like twenty kids instead of six…and having them running everywhere and knocking us down and…"

He saw that Byakuya wasn't listening and slipped a hand under the noble's chin.

"Hey! We eat hollows for breakfast around here…we aren't afraid of anything that has an attack less than a ban kai…so what are you having nightmares about that's stronger than that?"

And then Renji saw it…there beneath the forced calm in his eyes, that _Byakuya was really afraid of something_. The noble's hand slipped into his.

"I have been dreaming of…something happening to you," he whispered, "It's always the same. I wake up feeling like I'm very, very ill…and you're not there. I know that you should be there, but you're not…and I go looking for you…"

"And?"

"And at first, I can't find you. I search everywhere, but I can't find you anywhere…and then I do, but it's somewhere dark. Someone is there…and we don't have any powers…nothing works. We try to get away, but he has us cornered. And then he throws an attack at us. And…I don't know what to do, because if he hits you…or me…either way…"

He stopped for a moment, frowning and blinking.

"Anyway…something hits us and we're falling…and it's dark…and when I call for you, I don't know if it's that you can't hear me…or if you can't answer."

Renji moved over onto the bed next to Byakuya and pulled him close. The noble dropped his head onto his lover's shoulder and sighed, sinking warmly into the strong, tanned arms. Renji lowered his head and brought his lips close to Byakuya's ear.

"Listen to me. This is just fears brought on because we're both like this at the same time. We're accustomed to watching out for each other, and now that we're both pregnant, you are just worried that you won't be able to do that. But Byakuya, we'll keep looking out for each other…and everything will be okay. We are going to have _ten_ babies. Our arms will be so full of cute little red and black haired babies, we'll need the whole clan just to hold them all!"

"Renji…"

"Think of how many bottles of formula…how many diapers, ugh…how much cooing and burping and spitups…"

"Renji…" Byakuya said, his lips turning upward, "you're awful!"

"Oh, you think I'm kidding! You think you're nightmares are bad, you wait until we're up all hours of the day and night, trying to keep them all fed and changed and…not crying…"

Byakuya's shoulders shook gently with a suppressed laugh and he turned and pushed the redhead away.

"Get away from me!" he said, trying hard not to smile, "Unohana taichou said I'm supposed to _avoid_ stress!"

Renji laughed and wrapped his arms around the noble, nuzzling his cheek and burying his face in the dark, silken hair.

"Damn, you're cute!" he breathed hotly against the noble's throat, "You don't know what kind of wicked thoughts I have when I get close to you like this…"

Byakuya shoved him away, gently.

"Stop…Renji…Gia will be back any minute with my food."

Renji gave him a hurt look.

"Well…I guess I see what _you're_ priorities are."

"If I don't eat, I'll likely pass out again…and it wouldn't be much fun for you to make love with me while I'm unconscious."

Renji grinned and leaned close again.

"Actually, I'll take you any way I can get you," he said, nipping the noble's ear, "but you're right. It would be more enjoyable to have you be conscious. I love it when you…"

Byakuya pulled away and hit him with a pillow.

"Ow!" Renji objected, "You can't hit a pregnant person!"

The noble cleared his throat and nodded in the direction of the doorway, where Gia stood with a tray brimming with sandwiches, fruit, vegetables and tall glasses of milk.

"Wow!" Renji said, looking impressed, "Is that all for him? He's going to be bigger than Kuchiki Manor!"

"Shut up, Abarai," Byakuya snapped, threatening him with another pillow.

Gia giggled.

"It's for _all of us_!" she said, setting the tray by the bed and sitting down in the chair beside it.

"Arigato, Gia," Byakuya said, accepting one of the sandwiches from the girl's extended hand.

Renji frowned.

"Damn, what's you're secret?" he asked, grinning, "He only seems to want to _hit_ me!"

"Well maybe if you brought me food, like Gia did…" Byakuya suggested, lifting an eyebrow.

"I was cheering you up," Renji said, taking a sandwich.

"No, you were annoying me," Byakuya said sedately.

"I was not."

"Renji…"

"Hmmm?"

"Try not to talk with your mouth full…"

"Hmph…"

XXXXXXXXXX

Sato Hisoka smiled at the real estate agent, then looked back at the old cliff house they stood in front of.

"It's perfect," he murmured, "Private…beside the sea…a good carpentry project…"

"It does need a little TLC, the agent admitted, but this house is fabulous. It has all kinds of twists and turns to it. It used to be owned by a very prominent magician. He disappeared, and the house was given to his heirs, but every time someone came to live in it, strange things would happen and the folks got scared away…but you did say that you were intrigued by that kind of thing, ne?"

"Oh yes…and this is perfect. I will take it!

"I'm so glad I could find something to suit you, Sato-san. I will have the papers drawn up…but as the house is deserted, feel free to begin whatever work on it you like."

"Arigato," he said, eyeing the house appreciatively, "I will do that."

He watched her leave, then walked to the house and entered through the front door. He sensed the hollow inside right away and headed toward it, smiling. As he entered the room it was in, Hisoka smiled.

"I understand you have been scaring people away from this place for years," he said, examining the creature's large size and huge claws and teeth.

The hollow growled and started toward him. Hisoka drew a zanpakutou and held it ready. The hollow closed in, snarling.

"Think carefully before you attack me," he warned the creature, "I have the power to destroy you easily…but…if you agree to work for me, then I will offer you something much sweeter than death, hollow!"

The creature paused, staring.

"What will you give me?" it growled.

Hisoka smiled and held up a picture.

The beast's eyes narrowed.

"How will you give him to me? He is powerful…more powerful than both of us."

"Simple," the man said softly, "I work for him. Kuchiki Byakuya trusts me."

The hollow laughed softly.

"And why would you betray his trust?"

Hisoka held up a second picture.

"Because I desire _this_ man."

The creature studied the picture of Abarai Renji and nodded.

"Very well…if you give me the other, I will work for you. What do you want me to do?" it asked.

"Well, first…tell me your name."

"Naizetsumei," the creature supplied.

"Naizetsumei," Hisoka repeated, "I will require your help in fixing up this house, in guarding it…and the one I will imprison here…and in killing Kuchiki Byakuya, _after_ I am finished with him. Abarai Renji, you will not touch. He is mine. I want to show Byakuya that Renji is mine, then you will be allowed to eat him."

The hollow laughed softly.

"You had best deprive your master of his powers before you bring Abarai here…He will come after you, you know," he warned the man.

"Oh," said Hisoka in a low voice, "I _want_ him to…and I fully intend to deprive him of his powers when he does…"


	5. Proper Phrasing

**Chapter 5: Proper Phrasing**

"Ugh…" Renji moaned, turning toward Byakuya and trying to curl around him.

The noble groaned and pulled away, frowning.

"Hey," complained the redhead, "Where are you going?"

Byakuya gave him a dark look.

"It's too hot with you winding around me like a snake."

"What…do you have a fever?" Renji asked, feeling his forehead.

"No," Byakuya sighed sleepily, pushing the redhead's hand away, "It's normal to feel overly warm when one is with child. I'm surprised you don't feel hotter than I do."

"I don't feel hot," said Renji, "but it feels like my insides are twisted. Can't I get a little closer?"

Byakuya loosed an annoyed breath.

"Fine, but I reserve the right to sweat all over you, then," he muttered, closing his eyes again.

"That's okay, I like your sweat," Renji mumbled, nuzzling closer again, "Hey, while you're sweating all over me, do you mind rubbing my stomach? It doesn't feel so unsettled when you do that."

"Hmm…I think I can do that," Byakuya murmured, rolling onto his side and curling an arm around the redhead's body.

He began rubbing small circles on the redhead's abdomen, resting his chin on Renji's shoulder and pausing now and again to kiss throat and shoulder. Renji sighed happily and closed his eyes again.

"Renji," Byakuya said, after a few minutes of stomach rubbing.

"Hai," mumbled the redhead, blissful and half asleep in Byakuya's arms.

"You smell good," Byakuya whispered, licking his earlobe, then nipping it lightly.

Renji turned his head slightly.

"Do you mean like…good, as in…to smell or good, as in…I'm about to get very friendly with you?"

"The latter," Byakuya hissed, biting down on his shoulder and sliding his hand lower.

Renji laughed softly.

"I guess Unohana taichou was right," he chuckled, "What is that, like three times already?"

"You wanted me to get closer and rub your stomach. You have to expect that it would arouse me."

"Okay, but you have to do the work, this time. I'm tired."

Byakuya frowned.

"Never mind, then," he said, turning away and dropping his head onto his pillow.

"Byakuya…don't be like that," Renji moaned sleepily, "I didn't mean it in a bad way!"

"I understand completely," Byakuya said, closing his eyes, "Go to sleep."

"Wha…What's that supposed to mean? I…we did it like three times already! Aren't you even a little tired? And I said I am tired…not turned off!"

Byakuya ignored him. Renji grinned mischievously and leaned close to him, breathing hotly in his ear.

"I'd like it if you'd lick my tattoos…" Renji whispered, "I might forget being tired if you did that."

Byakuya turned toward the redhead and nipped sharply at his lips, then pushed him down onto his back. Renji smiled up at him.

"Does that mean you forgive me for being tired after three times?" he laughed.

"It means I'll forgive you when you're tired after four times," Byakuya said, licking the tattoos on his throat hungrily.

Renji gave a contented sigh and turned to offer his life partner better access to the tattoos on his chest. The noble explored them slowly, closing his eyes and tracing their edges with light strokes of his fingertips and gentle sweeps of his tongue. Renji's eyes glazed over and he reached down and let his fingers sink into his spouse's soft hair. Byakuya sighed, releasing a light puff of breath over the dampened skin and sending soft chills through the redhead. Renji sank his fingers deeper into the silken lengths of hair and moved his hand down to stroke the back of the noble's neck. Byakuya froze for a moment, then released a long, slow breath and rested his head on the redhead's chest, listening to his heartbeat and lightly teasing the tattoos on his lover's soft abdomen with his fingertips. Renji looked up and caught sight of Byakuya's reflection in the mirror on the dresser across the room from them and felt as though the breath had been sucked out of his body.

He had seen that expression before…many, many times. It was the way Byakuya looked at the moon and constellations. It was the way he looked when he rested on his stomach beside Gia, looking down into the koi pond and reaching down with his fingers to touch the searching mouths of the colorful fish. It was how he looked when he sat beneath the sakura trees and watched the petals fall. It was the way he looked when he looked at anything beautiful…and his eyes were locked on Renji's stomach…and his fingers were playing over the skin so lightly he barely felt the contact…and yet it made his heart race and his eyes burn. He started to say something, but stopped as Byakuya's head lifted and he looked down at Renji's abdomen with a startled expression.

"Wh…?" Renji began, but stopped again as the dark gray eyes blinked in surprise and Byakuya caught his breath.

"Wh-what?" he managed, "What is it?"

The noble's lips curved upward and he took Renji's hand and moved it down to his stomach. The redhead's eyes narrowed questioningly. He stared at the place where Byakuya's hand rested lightly on his wrist, holding his hand in place and sending tiny pulses of reiatsu downward. And as it touched his skin, he felt what had caught his lover's attention.

With each touch of reiatsu, something…no, someone reached back. Byakuya moved his hand and sent his reiatsu down into Renji's body again. The reaching sensation was there again, but had a different feel to it than the first. Byakuya's hand moved his again and he felt yet another responsive reiatsu. Their hands moved over Renji's abdomen until they found all six unique reiatsu clusters.

"That is…incredible," Renji whispered, touching each place again and again, smiling at the tickle of reiatsu that responded to his.

Byakuya said nothing in response, but lowered his head and gently kissed each place where they had sensed the reiatsu of their babies. By the time he kissed the last spot, Renji had tears in his eyes again. Byakuya looked up and caught him rubbing his eyes. He leaned forward and kissed each damp eyelid, then lowered his lips to Renji's, attacking them with deep, slow and slightly salty kisses. Finally, he yawned and curled up on the redhead's chest, closing his eyes and starting to drop off.

"I thought you said you wanted something," Renji whispered, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him closer.

He felt Byakuya smiling against his skin.

"I have everything I need," the noble whispered, without lifting his head, "I am quite content."

Renji laughed softly.

"I can see that."

He ran his fingers through Byakuya's hair and stroked his back lightly. The noble nuzzled beneath his chin and sighed softly. He was nearly asleep when Renji's voice broke the silence again.

"Byakuya…can you feel the reiatsu of your babies yet?" he asked.

There was a long pause and Renji wondered for a moment if he had fallen asleep, but he loosed another soft sigh and nuzzled closer.

"Not yet," he answered quietly, "but Unohana taichou said that all of the babies will develop at their own pace. Perhaps yours are developing more quickly because there are so many."

"Yeah…" Renji said encouragingly, "That's probably what it is."

He closed his eyes and held Byakuya a little tighter.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya slipped out of his yukata and put on his shihakushou, frowning slightly as he tied it into place somewhat looser than usual. He looked in the mirror and sighed softly, wondering how noticeable it would be. He had wanted to inform Soutaichou and the council about the pregnancies before they were showing, but because they hadn't realized right away that it was pregnancy that was causing their symptoms, time was shorter. They might already, he thought, have waited too long.

"Are you about ready?" Renji asked from the doorway.

Byakuya placed the haori around his shoulders and nodded. He wrapped the ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu around his throat and followed Renji out the door. They left the manor and walked toward the first division.

"Just remember," Byakuya warned him, "You keep quiet and let me do the talking. I will explain."

They felt the raised reiatsu of Soutaichou even before they entered the room and knew he was in a testy mood. Byakuya turned to Renji as they waited.

"Look, why don't you go back to the division and let me…"

"We're in this together, Taichou," Renji said affectionately, "I'm not leaving you alone with him in such a bad mood. He might fry your petals."

"Yes, well…say the wrong thing and he will de-fang Zabimaru. Fine…stay then…but keep quiet. I don't want him sending you into early labor."

Renji started to laugh, but stopped as the reiatsu rose uncomfortably and Soutaichou entered the room. He approached them slowly, looking down at their bowed heads and frowning.

"You wished to see me?" he asked, his voice already sounding riled.

Byakuya took a breath.

"Hai. Abarai fukutaichou and I have a…medical issue…and must be placed on administrative duty for a time to…resolve the issue," Byakuya said quietly.

"Oh, is that all," said Soutaichou, "You could have sent a hell butterfly to request the duty change. How long is the administrative duty to last?"

Byakuya sighed uncomfortably.

"It will…be an extended time, I'm afraid."

Soutaichou's frown deepened.

"How long?" the captain commander repeated, his reiatsu flaring.

"About four and a half months…"

"After which, we need a month of family leave," Renji added.

Both Byakuya and Soutachou's reiatsu flared and Renji lowered his head quickly.

"Family leave?" mused Soutaichou.

His frown deepened even more and small flickers of flame appeared around him.

"What is this about?" he asked darkly.

"Soutaichou," Byakuya said softly, "You know that Renji and I were married a few months ago."

"And I made no secret of what I thought of you engaging in a relationship with a subordinate," Soutaichou growled, "I told you then and I will say again that it is scandalous."

"But Soutaichou…" Renji said, lifting his head, "everybody knows about our marriage! And you were even there! How…"

"SILENCE!" Soutaichou roared.

Byakuya placed a restraining hand on Renji's arm.

"Stop, will you?" he hissed.

He released Renji and turned back to their leader.

"We…understand your disapproval…and we accept your criticism. However…because of my association with the Kuchiki clan, there is another uncomfortable issue to resolve here."

"Oh?" asked Soutaichou in a low, dangerous voice.

"In order that I might marry Renji, I had to allow the council of Kuchiki Elders to see to the arrangement for my heir."

"I see, but what does that have to do with your medical leave?"

"More than you think!" Renji laughed.

Byakuya glared at him.

"Abarai fukutaichou," Soutaichou said sternly, "since you are so determined to have your say, why don't you tell me what the devil is going on here?"

"Sir," Byakuya began.

Soutaichou silenced him with a withering glance.

"Oh," said Renji, looking like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming freight train, "I…uh…well, maybe Taichou should tell you…"

"No," said Soutaichou, rounding on him, "I want you to tell me."

"Ah…" Renji panted under the weight of his reiatsu, "Well, you see…the Kuchiki Elders…_did something_ to Taichou."

"Yes?"

"They…they uh…well…"

"Spit it out, Abarai fukutaichou!" Soutaichou said impatiently, "Don't take all day!"

"Right…They, ah, placed an enchantment that basically made him want to screw me into the ground and made him so fertile that he could impregnate anything he, uh…well…_did_."

Byakuya winced and looked like he wanted to sink into the floor. The two shingamis could tell immediately that whatever Soutaichou had expected…he hadn't expected this…

"So…they made him able to impregnate you…" their superior repeated, his eyes turning red, "So then…if Kuchiki taichou impregnated you, then why do both of you need leave?"

Renji quivered.

"Well…uh…it's because…uh…somehow…their little pregnancy plan worked a little too well…and, you know, Taichou and I have a very mutual and, uh…_balanced_ relationship…"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that…that…oh hell! We fucked each other and both of us ended up pregnant, okay? There! I said it! It's out there!"

Soutaichou took a breath and opened his mouth to answer, but was stopped when Byakuya suddenly pitched forward and passed out cold on the floor. Renji turned and leaned over him, fanning him with his hands.

"Oh, come on, don't do this now, Byakuya!" he moaned.

"Abarai, that is NOT how you address your superior!"

Renji flushed and fanned Byakuya harder.

"Sorry," he said, patting Byakuya on the cheek, "Please, Taichou, wake up! Please…I think he's going to kill us both!"

Soutaichou stared in silence at the redhead frantically trying to wake his unconscious superior and decided that the two had greater issues than needing administrative duty.

"Abarai fukutaichou," he said sternly, "when your taichou wakes, you may tell him that your administrative duty and your leave…is granted."

He started to walk out the door, then paused and looked back.

"And let me know when I can offer my congratulations on the birth of your two children."

"That's _ten_ children," said Renji.

Soutaichou's eyes widened and his breath hitched. The reiatsu burned hotly around him for a moment.

"Congratulations to you and your _ten_ children then."

He shook his head in disbelief and stalked out of the room.


	6. Two Sides of the Story

**Chapter 6: Two Sides of the Story**

Byakuya woke disoriented and dismayed to find himself in the healing center, with a nervous Renji watching over him like a hawk. He looked up at his spouse, remembering suddenly that they had been in the middle of a meeting with Soutaichou, when…

_Oh sweet kami! Tell me that was just a nightmare!_

He moaned uncomfortably, his stomach turning with the realization that it really had happened. He looked up at Renji with deeply tormented eyes, then leaned over the edge of the bed and threw up in the trashcan. He bent forward and tried to breathe slowly, but his breaths came out harsh and loud, and he had to throw up again before facing a very penitent redhead.

"Uh…should I get Unohana taichou?" he asked worriedly, "You look terrible, Taichou."

"Renji…" he panted, "p-please tell me that I collapsed _before_ we met with Soutaichou…"

Renji shook his head.

"Byakuya, I think you must have hit your head on the floor or something. Don't you remember? We asked for leave, but…well, you passed out before he could grant it."

"Oh…oh, Renji," Byakuya moaned, leaning over the trashcan again, "T-tell me it didn't happen…please, kami, tell me you didn't t-tell Soutaichou…"

"Hey, take it easy! It's okay, he didn't get mad…really. And he granted our requests."

"H-he did?" Byakuya managed, holding his abdomen and throwing up again.

Renji wrapped an arm around his shoulders and started to say something, but was interrupted by the door opening and Unohana taichou entering the room. The healer stepped forward, observing Byakuya with a sympathetic expression. Renji moved aside to allow her to examine the noble and she eased him onto his back and examined him carefully.

"Now…what seems to be the problem?" she asked kindly.

"Well," said Renji, "If you check the trashcan, you'll see it's not doing him a lot of good to eat, because he just keeps throwing everything up! Oh…and he passed out at the first division."

"Did he hit his head?" she asked, carefully examining Byakuya's head.

The noble winced sharply and made a small, pained hiss.

"Oh my," she said, sending her reiatsu into the area, "Kuchiki taichou, you gave youself a bit of a concussion…but it will be all right. Can you tell me how it happened?"

"I went with Renji to see Soutaichou…to inform him of our…situation…and to request our administrative duty and our leave."

"Hmmm, not a happy occasion," the healer mused.

"Not especially, no," said Byakuya, paling and trying to breathe slowly.

"He tried to tell Soutaichou what was going on, but couldn't seem to say it…"

"I was doing fine until you…you…"

Byakuya groaned and dropped his head back on the pillow.

Unohana blinked.

"And what happened then?" she asked.

"Well," said Renji, "since it seemed Byakuya wasn't able to say it, I told Soutaichou…"

"Oh kami, please don't repeat it!" Byakuya gasped.

Unohana taichou smiled.

"Perhaps we should just agree that the situation caused Kuchiki taichou stress and this overwhelmed him. Then, he fainted and hit his head…giving him a concussion."

"Okay," said Renji, "we'll go with that!"

The healer placed her hands on Byakuya's abdomen and focused her reiatsu, sending it into the area and frowning thoughtfully. She went over the area several times, then turned to Renji.

"Do you think you might go to the front desk and ask them to send Isane in?"

"Oh, sure," said Renji, slipping out the door.

She waited until he was gone, then turned back to Byakuya. He noted the look on her face and sighed softly.

"What is it?" he asked, "Why did you send Renji away?"

Her lips tightened slightly.

"I didn't want to worry him unnecessarily, being in his condition. But I must warn you that the babies' reiatsu in you is showing signs of stress. You must try to maintain some sense of calm around you from this point on."

"I am trying…it's just that we had to tell Soutaichou…but after the council meeting tomorrow, I will clear my schedule of anything stressful."

"I would go farther than that," she said quietly, "I am placing you on an extended medical leave until you deliver…and I will be sending Hanatarou home with you to monitor your condition and give me updates. I am keeping you here tonight…and I will be sending Renji home."

Byakuya met her eyes warily.

"Something else is wrong, isn't it?" he said, lowering his eyes.

"Yes, but it is treatable," she assured him, "Your spirit centers, through which your powers flow, have become compressed. The problem with this is that the babies require your reiatsu to grow. This is why your babies have not become sentient as of yet. I can heal this quickly and safely, but I do not want Renji to know if it, because we have to be careful of upsetting the delicate balance in his body. He is already worried and I don't want to cause him any more stress."

"I agree," Byakuya said, nodding.

"The procedure is fast and simple. I will do this as soon as Renji leaves and you will be able to go home in the morning. There may be some residual power flares and fall offs after that, but you should sense the sentience of your babies within a few days after the treatment."

The door opened and Renji returned to the room with Isane on his heels.

"You wanted me?" Isane asked.

"Yes," Unohana said, smiling, "I need you to prepare a room for Kuchiki taichou for the night."

She caught sight of Renji's worried expression.

"Oh, not to worry," she reassured the redhead, "He will be fine. It is simply a precaution because he hit his head. He will be released in the morning."

"Can I stay with him?" Renji asked nervously.

"No," Byakuya said firmly, "I am fine, Renji. And you need to sleep comfortably. Please, I don't want you to lose sleep over something so minor. Wait for me at home. I will be there in the morning."

Renji looked doubtful.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Byakuya nodded.

"Please…if you stay, I will only spend the night worrying about you."

"Well," said Renji, frowning, "I guess if that's what you want…and you're sure everything is okay…"

"Byakuya will be fine," Unohana assured him, "Now please, go home and get some food and rest. You have six babies depending on you!"

Renji nodded.

"Okay," he said, leaning over and kissing Byakuya, "but you call for me if you need me…okay?"

"I will," Byakuya said, returning his kiss.

Renji left the room and Unohana turned to Isane.

"I need your help with a small procedure."

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya watched as Unohana taichou placed her hands on his forehead and released her reiatsu into him, sending him into a deep sleep. His eyes closed and everything around him became calm and tranquil. He could not see, but he could sense the healers' attempts to adjust the positioning of the babies' reiatsu. He felt a sense of peace and reassurance that all was well, then as the procedure came to an end, he felt the soft pulsation of the developing reiatsu. He felt a shiver of joy and wished that Renji could be there. He was so relieved to finally feel the soft pulses of life inside him that he felt tears in his eyes.

"Everything went perfectly," said Unohana taichou's voice, breaking into his reverie.

The words calmed any remaining doubts he had and Byakuya drifted off.

Late in the night, the monitors around the noble shrieked suddenly and several healers ran into his room. They examined the still sleeping noble and found nothing seemed amiss, but that he seemed to have experienced a minor power flare. A healer remained in the room after the incident, but the noble slept soundly through the rest of the night.

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji felt queasiness in his stomach and an ache in his head and forced his eyes open. He was surprised to find himself lying in the healing center and looking up at the white ceiling. He moved slightly and found that he had monitors attached to his abdomen and several other places. His stirrings caught the attention of the healer who sat near him.

"Kuchiki taichou," the healer said quietly, "Do you need something?"

"What?" Renji said, blinking and sitting up.

"Kuchiki taichou," the healer said, pushing him back down, "You just had a surgical procedure. It was minor, but you still need to rest."

"What the hell?" Renji said, trying again to sit up.

He looked down at his body and realized all at once that it wasn't his…

_Oh shades! Not again!_

He stared in dismay at all of the monitors and the worried face of the healer and realized…

_They lied to me…_

He understood that it had been done to protect him, because of all of the babies he was carrying, but his heart stung anyway.

_And Byakuya had to go through…whatever this was…alone…Shit!_

He noticed that the healer was still staring at him.

"Um, sorry," he said, recovering himself, "I was very out of sorts before…"

"It's all right, Kuchiki taichou," the healer assured him, "Your procedure went perfectly. Unohana taichou was able to relieve the pressure on your spirit centers and the babies' reiatsu levels are just fine now. They are even sentient now!"

"They are?" he said, smiling and placing a hand on his abdomen.

His smile widened as he felt the soft pulsations of life beneath his fingertips. He sighed in relief and settled back against the pillows. The healer examined the monitors and brought Renji some tea. He drank the tea and relaxed, resolved to find Byakuya in the morning and to get them switched back. Then, they would have a very thorough discussion of how wrong he was to keep things from his spouse that way…

Not that he didn't understand…but he was really more upset about Byakuya facing the news about his condition and the particulars of the treatment alone than he was about not being told…

He pushed the matter aside and closed his eyes. In moments, he was asleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya woke to find himself back in his bed at home. He blinked and frowned, looking at the time and seeing that it was almost morning. He sighed and closed his eyes again, starting to drift off.

But as he neared sleep, he was nagged by something not seeming quite right. He knew he had been in the healing center, having the procedure to relieve the compression of his spirit centers, but he didn't remember coming home…

He saw a cup of tea on the nightstand and found that it was still warm.

_Ah…arigato, Renji…_

He wondered briefly where the redhead was, but if he had just brought tea, he hadn't gone far and Byakuya suspected he would be back soon. He closed his eyes and drifted off again…

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji groaned and forced his eyes open, yawning and biting back a curse as he remembered where he was and that he was in Byakuya's body. He greeted the healer and waited impatiently as Unohana taichou examined him one last time.

"Everything looks just fine now, Kuchiki taichou. I am releasing you. Would you like me to call for Renji, or are you going to just meet him after you meet with the council of elders today?"

Renji gasped.

"Shit! I forgot!" he gasped, then caught himself.

"Sorry!" he said quickly, gathering his clothes and moving into the dressing area, "I hadn't realized it was so late!"

"Yes," said Unohana taichou, "Time does seem to fly, doesn't it?"

"Yeah…uh, yes, it does. Well…I must leave. I thank you for your assistance."

He dressed quickly and fled the healing center and started to turn toward Kuchiki Manor, but realized that there wasn't enough time.

Damn! By the time I go home and we switch back, the meeting will be over…and Byakuya really wanted to let those old farts have it!

There was nothing for it, but for Renji to go to the council meeting instead. He still remembered the names of the councilors from when he had had to pretend to be Byakuya in front of them before. He still retained the information he had learned about them. He should, he thought, be able to pass for Byakuya. He had done it before.

Renji mentally rehearsed the way Byakuya talked and reviewed in his head all of the things that Byakuya had said that he wanted to do or say to the council. Of course, he had been mad when he said those things, but the sentiment was understandable…

He reached the council hall and flew up the steps, stopping at the top and adjusting his clothes. He slowed and strode in confidently, sitting down in Byakuya's place and waiting as the councilors joined him.

He listened quietly as the greetings got underway and the agenda was read. The head councilor invited 'Byakuya' to speak and Renji cleared his throat and stood, then took a breath and began to speak to them…

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya was deeply surprised when he woke to full daylight and found that Renji was still not in their bed. He felt a worried queasiness in his stomach and reached down to rub it absently. As he did, he looked down in surprise at his arm.

_Tattoos…_

"What?" he whispered.

His eyes widened in realization and he got out of bed too fast and made his head spin. He ran into the dressing area and looked into the big mirror in dismay.

"But if I'm here, then Renji is in the healing center…"

His eyes grew as wide as saucers as he turned and looked at the time.

_Oh…oh my kami, no! No! The council meeting! No! He can't be!_

"He'll come back here…" he whispered, "He won't…"

But Renji knew that he was never late to meetings…and he knew what time the meeting was…

Byakuya turned and flash stepped out of the room, barely remembering to put on a pair of shoes on the way.


	7. Righteous Indignation

**Chapter 7: Righteous Indignation**

Renji realized as he reached the Kuchiki Council Hall that he was about to do something extremely un-Byakuya-like and arrive at the council chamber looking hurried and out of sorts. He had made up enough time flash stepping there, so he slowed and found a place to stop and set the kenseiken and ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu back in order, before turning back toward the council hall and ascending the stairs, looking much less harried and much more regal.

The guards bowed their heads in welcome and Renji nodded briefly, as he had seen Byakuya do. He passed them and entered the hall, crossing to the main council chamber and waiting as the sentry opened the door for him. As he made his way to Byakuya's place at the head of the table, he felt a soft twinge in his abdomen and a sweep of returning nausea. He managed to breathe through it, without losing his calm demeanor, but he took the warning. He had to be careful not to put stress on the babies.

He sat down at the head of the table, watching calmly as the others took their places. Head Councilor, Kuchiki Nori, stood and called the meeting to order.

"Will all please take their places? Arigato. This meeting of the elders is called into session. All members of council will adhere to the rules of proper decorum. On the agenda today…"

He stopped and stared as Renji stood, narrowing the dark gray eyes and giving the council a very stern look that Byakuya gave people when he wanted to scare the shit out of them. He raised his reiatsu warningly. Councilor Nori stared silently for a moment, then cleared his throat, obviously unsettled by the weight of the clan leader's power flare.

"Ah, Byakuya-sama, you have something to add to the agenda?" he asked, trying to sound unaffected.

"I will address the council," he said, using Byakuya's own _"Don't you dare fuck with me" _inflection.

The head councilor frowned, but nodded.

"Very well then, Byakuya-sama, please continue."

Renji turned his gaze onto the men and women of the council, wanting to laugh at how uncomfortable they looked, faced with his anger. He heard Byakuya's voice in his head, telling him all of the things he wanted to do to these people and wished silently that Byakuya could be there to do it himself. But being that his taichou was probably just waking up to the realization of their body switch, it was up to Renji to see that these nobles learned what a mistake it was to mess with their leader…

"Several months ago, I came before this council with a very sincere and straightforward request. I wanted to marry Abarai Renji and I was willing to make some concessions to gain the council's blessing to do so…"

"Byakuya-sama, we…"

"I am not finished," he snapped, cutting off the head councilor with a withering glare, "For years, I have allowed this council to pore over every inch of my life, prating to me about my choices and trying to move me always in the direction you wished…"

"Byakuya-sama," said Nori, bristling, "perhaps you have forgotten, but this council has been more than flexible, despite your tendency to deviate from the rules. You have no understanding of the need for structure."

"I believe in there being a structure for living," Renji went on, his voice deepening and his eyes becoming as dark as the reaitsu danced around the room, "but that being said, to tinker with the very laws of nature defies the structure we have been given to work within."

"Are we to take it that Abarai Renji is in…a delicate condition, then?" Councilor Sora asked in a smooth tone.

"Councilor Sora," Renji said, using Byakuya's _'You just stepped over the line and you're about to regret it' _tone, "I was certain when it became clear that Abarai Renji was with child, that you were at the center of things. If you wish to discuss the subject of deviation and defying the rules…"

Sora's expression darkened and he fell silent.

"Yes, Councilor Sora, your filthy hands were all over this travesty…as were yours, Councilor Aiya."

He gave the two an intense glare, raising his spiritual pressure until everyone in the room was cringing. Renji was pretty sure that Byakuya, himself, couldn't have done a better job of intimidating the two. He turned his attention back to the head councilor.

"This council was fully aware that when I gave my permission for the council to handle the matter of my heir, I was intending that you should choose my heir from among one of the sub-families of the clan. I certainly never imagined that an esteemed and dignified group of noble stock would sink so low as to use a fertility charm that would make me impregnate my male lover!"

"We were well within the confines of our agreement…"

"Which you manipulated unforgivably!" Renji said, his reiatsu flaring and making them cringe again.

"I have warned all of you that I am not going to allow you to walk all over me…or use me to meet your own selfish ends. There is a price for interfering with my personal life…"

"But we had the right to make you impregnate your spouse. It's even been done before!" objected Nori.

"Not against the wishes of the clan leader…and not when the leader's lover was male! Only once…when the leader's wife was unable to conceive and the council assisted with the leader's approval. And this council's action has violated every reasonable rule of nature in conception. In addition to forcing my body to impregnate my male lover, it did so six times over."

The councilors' eyes widened.

"And one more thing that your little 'experiment' achieved…was 'blessing' my body with four more!"

He raised his spiritual pressure until the councilors gasped in actual fear. He had a very brief moment of wondering if he had gone a bit over the top, then he loosed a concentrated blast of kido that vaporized everything in the room except the councilors and himself. The Elders tumbled to the floor as the chairs underneath them disappeared. Cries of surprise issued from all around and they shrank back as Renji stepped forward, his reiatsu still flaring.

"The next time this council trods upon my rights will be the last time. I warn you. Do not dare to anger me this way again!"

He turned to leave, but as he started towards the door, it burst open and Byakuya flash stepped into the room, still dressed in a yukata and his red hair loose and uncombed.

"R-renji?" he gasped.

He recovered himself quickly.

"Are you…Is everything all right?" he asked, looking into the panicked brown eyes.

Byakuya's eyes traveled around the destroyed room, then found Renji again.

"You…" he whispered, then stopped and clutched his abdomen, gasping.

A moment later, he threw up on the floor. Renji gazed at him sympathetically, glad that no one but the two of them knew this was actually Byakuya. The overwhelmed noble, lifted his eyes back to Renji's and he struggled to think of something to say. Renji cleared his throat and turned back to the council, who still sat, stunned, on the floor with the ashes of the chairs and table lying on the floor all around them.

"I sincerely hope that all of you will take this warning to heart and refrain from any future attempts to meddle with my personal life."

He looked back at Byakuya.

"You see, Renji, I told you that I would make them understand the seriousness of their actions, without actually damaging them."

He turned to face the council.

"Renji dashed over here, obviously concerned, because I told him that I was coming here to teach all of you a lesson. Though why he wastes any time worrying about the fates of horrible folk like yourselves…but then that is one of the things that I find most endearing about my lover."

Despite still clutching his stomach and looking as though he'd throw up again, Byakuya managed to give Renji a look that stated clearly that it was time for them to leave.

"Well," he said, letting his reiatsu calm, "Now that I have made you aware of your poor judgment, I am going home to begin preparing the nurseries to hold all of these heirs!"

He strode across the room, wrapping an arm around Byakuya and urging him in the direction of the door.

"Oh my sweet kami," Byakuya whispered under his breath, "Renji, I swear you will be the death of me!"

He flinched as Renji stopped him at the door and turned back one more time.

"Oh," he said blithely to the council, "Council is dismissed."

He swept a sputtering Byakuya out the door and back to the manor.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Renji…" moaned Byakuya, wincing as nausea made him close his eyes and breathe more deeply to avoid throwing up again, "H-how could you…_do_ that? They're going to have me declared insane, I think!"

Renji smiled apologetically.

"Hey, I didn't know that you were only blowing off steam when you told me you were going to 'vaporize the furniture and drop their asses on the council room floor!' Byakuya, I thought that you were really meaning to do that. I didn't know. I'm sorry, really," Renji said sincerely.

He handed Byakuya a cup of ginger tea. The noble accepted the cup, but glared at him.

"Oh," Byakuya groaned, "and I only made it worse, bursting into the council chambers unannounced…and dressed like I just woke up! Ugh, I think I'll be sick again…"

Renji smiled at him.

"You looked damned cute, Bya," he laughed, curling an arm around the noble and brushing the tumbled hair out of his eyes, "I had no idea I looked that cute, being pregnant!"

"Shut up," Byakuya snapped, his eyes flaring hotly, "You're making me feel worse! Ugh…Renji…I'll never be able to show my face again!"

"Hey, relax, will you?" Renji said, pulling him close, "The council will get over it. And as far as you bursting into the room and not being appropriately dressed, just remember…that wasn't you. The council saw me rushing in there like that. And I'm not humiliated. I don't give a damn. Now, try to calm down. Remember, it isn't good for the babies when you get all stressed out like that."

Byakuya sighed and dropped back against the pillows.

"I am never leaving this room again…" he muttered, frowning.

"Don't say that," Renji chided him gently, "everything will be fine, but I guess you want your body back."

Byakuya shook his head.

"We don't have any of the seeds to loosen our reiatsu. And besides…I'm not letting you touch me. I'm still angry with you!"

Renji rolled his eyes.

"Don't do that when you're in my body!" Byakuya snapped, "I don't roll my eyes like some defiant teenager!"

"Hey, will you calm down?" Renji said, starting to look concerned, "You really are going to make yourself sick again. Just take a few breaths or something."

Byakuya sighed heavily and closed his eyes, trying to forget he was in Renji's body and stuffed to the teeth with babies.

"Byakuya, maybe we should go to Unohana taichou. I mean, we switched bodies this time without sex or those seed things. We should probably find out why. Besides, you can't stay here all day, feeling sorry for yourself. Come on, get up. We should at least take a walk around the garden and get some fresh air."

Byakuya continued to frown, but climbed slowly to his feet and followed Renji out of the room.

"So are we going for a walk or are we going to Unohana taichou?" Renji asked.

"Unohana taichou," Byakuya said, his voice sounding more settled, "I want to get out of your body and back into mine as soon as possible."

"Thanks, Taichou," Renji muttered, "You know, it isn't so bad being me!"

"I never said it was," Byakuya said as they left the manor and set out for the fourth division, "I actually quite enjoy it."

"Then, why did you say you want to change back _as soon as possible_?"

Byakuya narrowed his eyes.

"Because although I enjoy being you, I don't enjoy it so much when you are impersonating me. I can get into enough trouble on my own. I don't need you getting me in trouble too!"

"Nice, Byakuya…thanks…"

"You asked."

"Don't worry. It won't happen again."

They reached the healing center and waited quietly in Unohana taichou's office until she returned from her rounds. She sat down at her desk and looked up at the two of them questioningly.

"What can I do for the two of you?" she asked pleasantly.

"We have encountered a sort of…anomaly," Byakuya said.

The healer frowned and looked more closely at Byakuya and the noble realized that although he was still in Renji's body, he had spoken like himself.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Well," Byakuya went on, "You remember that we explained to you that because of the attack of the neko-hineri, we switched bodies for a time, but then later switched back?"

"Yes," Unohana taichou said, nodding, "I do recall that…and judging by what I am beginning to sense, I think you have switched again, ne?"

"Yes," Byakuya answered, "but we cannot figure out why we switched. Urahara Kisuke said that it would only happen…under certain circumstances…and those were not met."

"Remind me again what the circumstances are?" she queried.

Byakuya flushed and went silent.

"We have to usually loosen our reiatsu somehow and then make love…but we didn't do either of those things. We don't know why we switched."

Unohana sighed and thought for several minutes.

"Well," she said finally, "it is possible that your reiatsu has loosened due to your pregnancies. That is normal. Also normal is for you to have power flares and drop offs…as Kuchiki taichou did last night, while he was here."

"That's when it happened!" Renji exclaimed, "That's it then!"

He turned to Byakuya.

"So we don't need the seeds, if our reiatsu is already loosened. We just have to…"

He paused at the withering look Byakuya gave him.

"But there's no guarantee we won't switch back every time we have a power flare," Byakuya said grimly.

"Or sex," Renji added, ignoring the flare of Byakuya's reiatsu.

"That is correct," said the healer.

"Looks like we're going to be spending a lot of time on our backs, Taichou!" Renji laughed.

Unohana taichou stared and Byakuya glared at Renji.

"Ah," she said, smiling pleasantly, "so now that we know what's going on, I won't keep you. Just let me know if there are any further problems."

Giggling softly, she turned and left the office. There was a long silence.

"Um," Renji said finally, "I guess we should, uh, go back to the manor and…switch back…you think?"

For the first time since they'd switched, Byakuya was glad not to be in his own body.

"Fuck you," he said angrily and flash stepped out the door.


	8. Empathy

**Chapter 8: Empathy**

"Byakuya…come on! You're not really that mad at me, are you?" Renji asked, tapping on the closed and locked bathroom door.

He heard the sound of retching and shook his head sympathetically.

"I tried to tell you to take some deep breaths and calm down," he muttered, more to himself than to Byakuya, "Come on out. We'll switch back and you won't be so uncomfortable. Please, Bya, open the door."

He heard more retching and a decidedly miserable groan.

"Are you going to let me in or do I have to come in after you," Renji said warningly, "because you're starting to worry me."

"I'm…I'm okay," Byakuya managed, falling back and leaning against the wall, "I just need a minute. Oh kami, I feel horrible…"

"Okay, you want me to make some ginger tea? Get you some peppermint?" Renji offered.

"Oh…" moaned the noble, "isn't there any way out of your body that doesn't require moving?"

Renji smiled sympathetically.

"Come on…open the door. At least let me come in and sit with you."

There was a long pause, then the door unlocked. Renji stepped into the bathroom and eased himself down next to Byakuya. Renji brushed the red mane back from his pale face and kissed him on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry I upset you so bad. I'm an idiot. But you knew that."

Byakuya sighed resignedly and leaned against Renji, sinking into his embrace.

"It really isn't your fault. I just…I…"

"Are you okay?" Renji said, concerned at the whiteness of his skin and the trembling in his body.

"I don't know," Byakuya admitted, "I'm trying to stay calm, but…oh, kami, Renji…I…wonder if something's wrong."

"I'm taking you back to the healing center, Bya."

"I'm sorry," Byakuya gasped softly, "I'm really…trying…"

"Okay, just take slow breaths, all right? I'm going to grab someone to help since I can't carry you."

"Don't leave me, Renji…please…" Byakuya moaned.

Renji looked around in desperation. He spotted someone standing in the garden. He remembered seeing the handyman around the manor with fair frequency.

"Hisoka," he called, remembering the man's name, "Could you please help me with Renji? He is not well and needs to be taken to the healing center."

"Hai, Kuchiki-sama," the man said, rushing into the room.

He gathered Renji's body into his arms and turned toward the door, flash stepping alongside the one he thought was Byakuya. In moments, they reached the healing center and were directed to an examination room. Renji turned to Hisoka.

"Arigato, Sato Hisoka. I couldn't have carried him myself, due to my own recent illness. I appreciate your help."

"You are welcome, Kuchiki-sama. I hope all is well with Abarai-san."

"I'm sure it will be," Renji said, trying to sound convincing, "Will you please return to the manor? I wouldn't want to keep you from your duties. I will be certain to send word when more is known."

"Hai, Kuchiki-sama," the servant said, bowing.

He stepped out of the room and sat down in the waiting area, watching the door very carefully.

Inside the room, Renji slipped his hand into Byakuya's and talked to him in a quiet voice as Unohana taichou was summoned. Moments later, the healer stepped into the room and quickly began to examine Renji's body.

"Were the two of you able to switch back before this occurred?" she asked.

"No," Renji told her, "He started vomiting when we got home and couldn't seem to stop. Then, he went all pale, like he is now…and he seemed really weak."

Unohana nodded.

"I think I know what this is and it is treatable, but it will take some time."

"Can I stay with him?" Renji asked softly.

The healer nodded.

"That would be good, actually. The procedure could cause his power to flare and you two might switch suddenly. If you will lie down in the second bed, I will begin."

Renji walked to the other bed and climbed into it, then reached over and held Byakuya's hand as the healer used her power to send him off to sleep.

"His spirit centers have become compressed and the pressure needs to be relieved. It is the shifting of the reiatsu within his body that is causing this…and it may happen several times before delivery."

"But he…we…and the babies will be all right?" Renji asked.

"Yes," Unohana confirmed, "You will all be all right. But when this happens, it is critical to relieve the pressure, so that the spirit centers can continue to function properly…so you will need to come to the healing center immediately when it happens. I'm going to induce sleep for you now as what I do next will likely cause a power flare and switch you back."

She placed her hands on Renji's face and focused, sending him off to sleep. Then she turned back to Renji's body and leaned over him, sending her reiatsu into his sleeping form. She worked for several long minutes on Renji's body, before turning her attention to Byakuya. She studied his body carefully, then shook her head softly, sending her reiatsu into his body as well, then stepping back and examining the two one more time. Satisfied that all was well, she left the two sleeping and left the room.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya blinked slowly and opened his eyes, taking a few breaths and then slowly sitting up. He breathed a sigh of relief as he realized that he was back in his own body, but then turned and gazed down at Renji with deep concern.

"Renji," he whispered.

The redhead remained asleep. Byakuya moved closer, slipping his hand into the redhead's and stroking it lightly.

"Renji," he whispered again, "Renji, I'm…sorry."

Renji continued to sleep soundly beside him.

"This is my fault," he went on, "You told me to try to calm down and I did try…but I was so upset…about unimportant things. I really don't care that you said more than I would have. I should have stood up to them that way years ago. Maybe they wouldn't have given me such a hard time."

"Nah…" said Renji, opening an eye to look at him, "They probably would have given you a hard time anyway."

"Renji!" Byakuya said, squeezing his hand, "How are you feeling?"

Renji smiled.

"I'm fine. I'm okay, really, Byakuya."

Byakuya looked unconvinced.

"But I…I caused your body to…"

"No, you didn't," Renji corrected him, "Unohana taichou said that it was just my spirit centers being compressed by the babies' reiatsu. She fixed it right up. I am fine, really. Now, you need to relax."

"But it's my fault. It is, Renji." Byakuya insisted, "I panicked over the council meeting. I should have just trusted you."

Renji smirked.

"Byakuya…are you kidding? Every time I open my mouth…It doesn't even matter whose body I'm in. I make a mess of everything," he said, shaking his head, "I don't mean to…I just…have a talent for it, I guess."

Byakuya loosed a soft sigh and squeezed his hand again.

"You didn't make a mess of things, Renji. You actually did a good job of getting through to them. And lest we forget, you taught them a lesson that I wouldn't have dared to," he said, beginning to smile at the memory.

Renji chuckled softly.

"And damn, if you didn't look cute busting in and looking all frantic like that! If I hadn't been trying to be you, I would have melted on the spot!"

"Well…I needn't have worried. All you did was what I wanted to, anyway. They deserved it. And nothing was lost that can't be replaced. I hated the décor in that room anyway. Now, they'll have to redecorate."

Renji smiled widely.

"Then you forgive me? You're not mad at me anymore?"

Byakuya smiled at him gently.

"There's nothing to forgive, Renji. And I wasn't mad before…just…shocked."

"You must have been to use that kind of language!" Renji laughed.

"Well, it seemed appropriate, given that I was in your body at the time."

The door opened and Unohana taichou walked in, carrying their medical charts and smiling.

"It is good to see the two of you awake, back in your own bodies and getting along so much better," she said, approaching them.

She spent several minutes quietly examining Renji, pausing to ask several questions, before moving on to Byakuya.

"I adjusted your spirit centers as well, because they were also beginning to be affected. This likely to be a constant concern as the babies' reiatsu grows stronger. Luckily, adjusting their position is fairly simple to do, and I can monitor the centers when you come in for your appointments."

"Arigato, Unohana taichou," Byakuya said in a relieved tone, "I was concerned that my temperament had caused problems with Renji's body."

"No," she said quietly, taking his hands, "You didn't harm Renji's body, "but I will warn you that you must breathe a bit easier, Kuchiki taichou. Your vital signs were off the charts before. The simple truth of this is that physically and otherwise, you are not coping as comfortably as Renji is in this situation…likely because you are looking to control what you cannot. If you were someone else, I would suggest meditation or the like, but for you, I would suggest long, slow walks in the moonlight, making sure you eat well and getting lots of sleep."

Byakuya nodded.

"Now, I just need to draw a bit of blood and reiatsu and the two of you can go home."

"Oh no…" groaned Renji, "again with the damned needles! Do you have to do that every time we walk in?"

The healer laughed softly.

"I am sorry, Abarai fukutaichou, but there's no way around it."

"Not to worry," Byakuya assured him, "I'll make sure to catch you when you fall over in a faint."

"Gee, thanks…" the redhead muttered, paling as Unohana closed in on him.

He grew quiet as she drew the blood, but managed to remain conscious.

"You see," said the healer, "You are growing more used to this. I told that you would."

"Yeah," said Renji, "well, I still feel like I'm going to puke and faint at the sight of those stupid things!"

"I certainly won't hold that against you," Unohana said, turning to Byakuya and drawing his sample.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya stood quietly in the gardens, gazing quietly up at the moon, breathing slowly and feeling the calm settle over him again. He felt the small pulsings of life growing inside him and couldn't help smiling and letting his hand drop to his abdomen, sending small pulses of greeting in to them and loving the feel of their reiatsu lightly touching his. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the light breeze that cooled his overly warm skin, calming the flashes of heat that seemed to nearly always be with him.

"Kuchiki-sama," said a nearby voice.

Byakuya opened his eyes and let them settle on the man standing in the garden in front of him.

"Yes, Hisoka," he said quietly.

"I was just wondering if Abarai-san was doing well."

"Renji is fine now," he said, feeling a complex mixture of guilt and relief at his own words, "He will make a full and swift recovery. His condition was not overly serious. I thank you for assisting me in moving him to the healing center."

"I was glad to help, Kuchiki-sama," the handyman said, smiling, "and I brought a small gift…to wish him a speedy recovery. It is nothing grand…just something I made in my spare time."

He handed Byakuya a small carved ironwood statue of a wolf, with dark, shining inlaid eyes. Byakuya accepted it from his hand and paused in the moonlight, turning the figurine to admire the fine detail.

"This is lovely," commented Byakuya, "This is a hobby of yours, then?" he asked.

"Yes, sir. I like to work with different types of wood, varied textures and the like."

"Do you also handcraft furniture…with this quality of detail?" he asked.

"Actually, I do," Hisoka said, smiling, "Do you need something made?"

Byakuya paused for a moment, thinking.

"Yes, I do. But I will need you to keep silent about this project. No one is to know what you are constructing or why."

"Of course, Kuchiki-sama. I am accustomed to keeping things to myself."

Byakuya nodded.

"Then I will reveal to you that due to…an odd occurrence, Renji and I will be having multiple children…soon."

"H-having…ch-children, sir?" the man asked, looking confused.

"Yes," Byakuya said quietly, "An unexpected circumstance has led to us being with child…and we will need to prepare two rooms for ten babies."

Hisoka's eyes widened and he stared wordlessly for a moment, but he simply nodded.

"As you wish, Kuchiki-sama. I will begin work on this tomorrow."

"And remember to use proper discretion," Byakuya reminded him. We will be making an announcement later, but we wish to avoid the stress of undue attention."

"Oh, I understand, sir," the handyman assured him, "and I am honored you have chosen me to do this. Arigato, sir!"

Byakuya nodded, then watched as the man disappeared into the night.

Hisoka walked back to the entrance to Kuchiki manor, Byakuya's words still repeating in his mind.

"We are having babies," he whispered, "ten lovely little Abarai babies! Well, this changes things a bit! I will need to make a few adjustments to my plans to prepare for their delivery…and I will have to allow Kuchiki-sama to live a bit longer before he is eaten."


	9. Breathing Games

**Chapter 9: Breathing Games**

"So, who were you talking to out there?" Renji asked as Byakuya stepped back into the bedroom, leaving the garden doors open.

"I was consulting with one of the servants about making the cribs for the babies' bedrooms."

"A servant?" Renji said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Byakuya asked.

He handed Renji the small, carved wolf and watched as the redhead turned it over in his hands and studied it with curious, appreciative eyes.

"This is great, Bya!" he said, enthusiastically, "Thanks!"

"Actually," said Byakuya, "It was a gift from the servant who assisted us this afternoon when I became ill. He said it was a gift for you…to wish you a speedy recovery. I assured him that you would be fine."

"He made this…for me?"

Byakuya nodded.

"Is something wrong with that?"

"No…I guess not," he said, admiring the intricate detail of the small figurine, "It's really well made. I see why you asked him to make the cribs."

He set the wolf figurine down on the nightstand and looked up at Byakuya who stood, half turned, looking out through the open garden doors at the moon.

"You look a lot more settled now," he commented softly, admiring the glow of the moonlight against the noble's pale skin, "You actually look kind of happy. That's nice to see."

"I am happy, Renji," Byakuya replied, still gazing out at the sky, "Despite my reaction to the council meeting…I do appreciate you doing what you did."

"Byakuya…you nearly broke down the walls trying to stop me! And now you _appreciate_ it? How does that work?"

Byakuya laughed softly.

"It's strange…the more I think about it, the more amusing it seems. You did what I wanted…exactly what I wanted. You were beautiful, facing them down like that!"

Renji laughed.

"But I wasn't _me_," he objected, "I was trying to be _you_!"

"But as always," Byakuya said, climbing onto the bed next to him, "you were you…and I love you for that. No…I don't just love you for it…I adore you for it!"

He wrapped his arms around the redhead and captured his lips in a slow, deep kiss.

"A…hem!" said a child's voice.

Byakuya broke away from Renji and turned. Both smiled at Gia as she stood, covering her eyes and knocking on the doorframe.

"Ah," chuckled Renji, "Come in, Gia."

"What is on your mind?" asked Byakuya as the girl bounded onto the bed.

"I wanted to make sure Daddy Ren was feeling better," she said, reaching out to gently pat the redhead's belly.

"See," muttered Renji, "I told you I was getting fat."

"You're not fat," Byakuya corrected him, "The babies' reiatsu is distending your abdomen some. It won't grow too much larger."

"I'm fine, Gia," Renji assured her, "aside from being a little sensitive about my size."

"You look fine to me," Gia said, smiling, "I like feeling where the babies' reiatsu is!"

"And I think you look radiant," Byakuya said, sending an instant blush onto the redhead's cheeks.

Gia turned to Byakuya.

"Can I say good night to our babies in your tummy, too?"

Byakuya smiled and nodded, then watched as the girl sensed the position of each small reiatsu cluster and whispered 'good night' to each by turn. When she finished, she kissed Byakuya, then Renji on the cheek and raced off to bed. Byakuya closed and locked the garden doors behind her, then left through the inside door to make tea. He brought it back and set it on Renji's nightstand, then climbed into bed next to him.

"You don't have to keep doing that," he said, leaning over to give the noble a ginger tea-flavored kiss, "I can make my own tea. And I like to make yours, too."

Byakuya shook his head.

"You need to concentrate on keeping those babies safe and happy."

"You ought to talk!" Renji objected, "You're the one who keeps getting yourself all riled and making yourself sick. I just had a little issue with my spirit centers!"

"There is no such thing as a little issue when you are carrying six children. And I wasn't meaning to be riled…I was provoked."

"Provoked?" Renji repeated in a low, sexy voice, "I'd like to provoke you…"

Byakuya blinked.

"You just got home from the healing center," he said, frowning, "I don't want you to…"

"Argh, Bya! It won't hurt the babies! Unohana taichou said so!"

Byakuya shook his head.

"It will make us switch again."

"Well," said Renji, smirking, "Then we'll just have to do it twice!"

"Kami, as much as these babies are moving around, I don't know if I can, Renji," Byakuya said, brushing his hands over his face.

"Then lie down and have tea with me," Renji insisted, "and we'll talk until we fall asleep…or…whatever."

"As long as 'whatever' isn't too energetic for you or too unsettling for me."

Renji shot him a hurt look.

"I'm carrying more babies than you and I still have the energy. Anyway, lie down, will you? You're making me nervous, standing and pacing that way."

"I am not pacing!"

"You are!" Renji laughed, "You've walked back and forth across the room about ten times now!"

"Okay," admitted the noble, "I might be a little restless, but…Renji, I'm carrying four babies! That's enough to make anyone restless."

"Then, come here, will you? At very least, I know how to make you relax."

The redhead's smile and opened arms were far too tempting and Byakuya couldn't help but climb into bed next to Renji and settle into them. They exchanged several deep, probing kisses, then relaxed against the pillows next to each other, drinking their tea and talking softly.

"So," Renji laughed softly, "we punished the snobbish council, what will we do tomorrow?"

Byakuya shrugged.

"We have desk work waiting for us…remember?"

"Ah, desk work…almost my favorite thing to do with you!" Renji snorted.

"Almost?" said Byakuya blithely, "Then what _is_ your favorite thing to do with me?"

"Hmmm…" said Renji, "You have to guess, but I'll give you a hint. It might take a while."

"A walk in the moonlight?"

"Um…longer."

"A trip to the opera?"

"Well," giggled Renji, it might make someone sing, but…no!"

"Ah, do I get more guesses?" Byakuya asked, furrowing his brow cutely.

"Not if you look at me like that, Bya Too fucking hot!"

"Look at you like what?" Byakuya said, a little too innocently, "Like this?"

Renji answered by shoving the noble down on the bed and attacking his face, throat and chest with hard, eager kisses. Byakuya tilted his head back.

"I guess we're not playing twenty questions anymore," he muttered, his eyes fluttering as the redhead's mouth found an erect nipple.

"Hell no," Renji said, sucking hard and watching delightedly as Byakuya gasped and arched his back, "Of course, I'm fine with you asking all of the questions you want…just it might be hard to do if you can't breathe!"

"I can breathe," the noble said archly, "See? Breathing."

"I'll have to do something about that," Renji said, licking and biting his way down the soft, writhing torso.

He curved one hand around the noble's soft round bottom and the other around the base of his swelling arousal. He heard Byakuya catch his breath sharply and gave the blushing head a slow, teasing lick, then watched the pearly liquid leak out. He licked it away, watching passion invade the noble's serene features and the dark flush that rose up on his cheeks and throat.

"Still breathing?" Renji asked, narrowing his eyes, "I'll try harder."

He sank down on Byakuya's throbbing member, closing his eyes and tormenting the long, think shaft with licks, soft nips and heavy suction. Byakuya moaned and panted, his hands reaching down and his fingers threading themselves into the long, red hair.

"R-ren…" Byakuya managed.

"Oh, I hear some breathlessness coming on," Renji said, sinking down on him again.

Byakuya moaned incoherently.

"What was that?" Renji asked, pulling his mouth away, "I couldn't understand…"

Byakuya answered by turning suddenly and overthrowing his surprised spouse. He dove onto Renji's mouth, stifling his exclamation of surprise and thrusting a hot, questing tongue between his startled lips. He trapped the strong, tanned body beneath his and tormented the redhead's throat and chest with blistering kisses and long, warm strokes of his tongue. He shifted slightly and parted his lover's thighs. Renji moaned and his eyes closed in bliss as Byakuya positioned himself and pushed slowly into him. He paused, fully entrenched in the redhead and dropped down, giving him a flurry of gentler kisses as he moved his hips, thrusting slowly in and out. Renji moaned louder and tightened his hands on Byakuya, pulling at his hips in a silent plea for him to move faster. Byakuya smiled down at him, keeping the motion slow and intense…and watching as pleasure overtook his lover's face and Renji nipped the warm mouth that fed him kiss after hot, wet kiss.

"B-bya…ah…ahh…B-bya!" Renji moaned.

"Now, who's breathless?" hissed the noble, smiling.

The noble shifted and thrust, harder and faster, finding the center of pleasure, deep in his partner's core and striking it with thrust upon heavy thrust until Renji howled with delight and his body shuddered heavily beneath the noble's. Byakuya felt the slick heat of his lover's release and thrust in one last time, pressing his face against Renji's and emptying himself inside the still-moaning redhead.

Still dizzied with climax, the two felt the room darken around them and the pulling sensation that had begun to feel somewhat familiar.

"Aw, hell!" snapped Renji, groaning as his ears began to ring and he sank into blackness, "Not again."

"Don't worry," Byakuya assured him, "Like you said…it means we'll have to do it again…"

The two fell still, their bodies still heaving gently with the pleasure of their coupling, but their minds given over to senselessness. Already unconscious, the two were blissfully unaware when the eyes of the small wolf figurine began to glow and a soft hissing issued around the room. The two shinigamis breathed in the light mist and sank even deeper into senselessness.

XXXXXXXXXX

Hisoka waited until darkness had fallen and then made his way across the grounds, moving slowly and avoiding the eyes of the guards, whose patterns of movement he had carefully memorized. He slipped into the bushes outside Byakuya and Renji's garden doors and waited, listening to the sounds of pleasure that sounded from within the room. He frowned at the sound of Byakuya's moans.

"Don't get too used to him doing those things to you, you stuck up bastard!" the servant growled softly.

The sound gave way to soft hisses of breath and deeper, more passionate sounds. Then Renji's howl of pleasure shot through Hisoka, making him instantly hard. He could imagine lying on top of that hot, tattooed body, thrusting into it and making Renji cry out his name. The mental picture made his cock twitch hungrily and he sat in the bushes, stroking himself and listening to the sounds of the lovers within the room.

Gradually, the sounds faded and the room grew quiet. Releasing his hardened member, Hisoka smiled and climbed to his feet. He pressed a button on a small device in his pocket and waited for several minutes, then, watching to make sure the guards did not see, he swiftly picked the lock on the garden door and slipped inside.

He closed the doors behind him and waited for his eyes to adjust, then moved toward the bed, carefully watching the two unconscious forms on the bed. He moved around to Renji's side and gazed at the two entwined shinigamis, then carefully pushed Byakuya off of his lover, leaving Renji's bared body completely revealed. He stared down at Renji, and extended a hand, letting his fingertips run over the black tattoos and watching carefully for any physical response. He tested Byakuya's responses as well, and found both to be deeply unconscious…unresponsive.

Smiling widely, he returned to Renji's side of the bed and stood for a moment, stroking himself and staring. He hardly dared to do what entered his mind, but he needed to know if he could depend on the drug to work well enough for what he had planned.

He slowly climbed onto the bed and positioned himself between the redhead's thighs, then leaned down and kissed him, lightly at first, then more deeply, thrusting his tongue into the warm mouth and probing deeply. The body beneath him remained still. He licked the black tattoos on Renji's throat and chest and again, felt no response.

His cock still throbbed and now was so close to its goal that Hisoka could hardly breathe through the dizziness. He moved carefully now, bringing his thick, weeping arousal to the unconscious redhead's entrance. He started to push forward, but stopped as he felt a sluggish reaction in the redhead's body. He reached up and lowered his hood to obscure his face, then leaned forward and studied Renji's slowly moving eyelids.

Hissing discontentedly, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a small capsule. He broke it with his fingers and started to bring it to the redhead's nose, when Renji's body shifted and turned, throwing him off onto the floor and following.

"S-stop!" gasped the redhead, "Who…are y-you?"

Hisoka leapt forward and took hold of the groggy shinigami, turning him onto his stomach and forcing him down.

"S-stop! R-ren…wake up!"

The servant withdrew a knife and pressed it to Renji's throat.

"Not a word!" he hissed in a harsh whisper, "or I will kill you!"

He thrust his fingers under the stunned shinigami's nose, striking him in the side to force him to breathe in the drug on his fingers. The body beneath him struggled and tried to call out for help, but shuddered and fell still as the drug took hold.

Suddenly, Byakuya's body began to move on the bed. Hisoka abandoned the unconscious redhead and flash stepped to the door, slipping out into the night and disappearing into the darkness.

Behind him in the bedroom, Renji woke to find himself in Byakuya's body and alone in bed. His head ached fiercely and his stomach clenched uncomfortably. He breathed in and out slowly and crawled across the bed. As he reached the other side, he caught sight of Byakuya in his body, unconscious on the floor.

"B-bya?" he called dizzily, "Bya, c-can you hear me?"

He placed a hand on his abdomen as a sharper pain took hold. Breathing through it, he worked his way toward Byakuya.

"Byakuya!" he called in a louder voice.

He yelled for their attendant and dropped down onto the floor. He turned his body over and gasped at the paleness of his face.

"Hurry!" he said frantically, "We need to get him to the healing center!"

"Hai, Kuchiki-sama!" said the attendant, picking up Renji.

He turned back, a look of dismay on his face as the noble gasped and doubled over, holding his hands to his midsection and groaning.

"Kuchiki-sama!" he cried, "Kuchiki-sama, what's happening?"


	10. Whispers

**Chapter 10: Whispers**

"How is he?" Renji asked Unohana taichou pleadingly, "Is he conscious yet? Please, Unohana taichou, I need to know."

The healer gazed down at him with a calm expression.

"He is still unconscious, Abarai fukutaichou, but I assure you, he will wake as soon as the drug he was given wears off. I am more concerned about Byakuya's babies. You need to keep breathing slowly and remain very calm."

Renji nodded and forced himself to breathe more slowly.

"Have the pains stopped?" she asked, placing a hand on his abdomen and brushing each baby's reiatsu with hers.

Renji shook his head.

"They seem like they're less painful, but I still feel them."

Unohana sighed and bowed her head.

"I will need to switch the two of you back," she said quietly.

"But I thought that…"

"It is a risk, but Byakuya will simply be more at ease in his own body, more able to address what is happening."

Renji nodded, unable to think of anything to say. He rested quietly as his bed was wheeled into the room where Byakuya slept. Renji studied him carefully and thought that he looked comfortable enough. He breathed slowly as another pain began. The healer frowned and placed a hand on his forehead, sending him off to sleep before he quite knew what happened.

When he woke again, he found himself back in his own body and in a different room with Rukia sitting quietly at his side. She smiled at him, but he could see the tightness of the muscles in her face.

"Rukia, how is he? How are the babies?" he asked, trying to sit up.

"Hey," she objected, pushing him back down, "take it easy. Unohana taichou said no excitement."

"I won't rest until you tell me what's going on!" Renji insisted, "I can tell something is really wrong! Tell me!"

Rukia hesitated, looking back at the door, then sighed and bowed her head.

"She said not to upset you. Your babies are fine, but if you get upset, you could go into labor too early. Try to relax. I will tell you what you want to know."

"How is Byakuya?" Renji asked again.

"Okay," Rukia said, steadying herself, "Byakuya was in premature labor. They had to stop it…and the only way they could was to make him sleep, then perform surgery to reduce the flow of reiatsu through his spirit centers. He won't have use of his powers for the rest of his pregnancy. They would just seal away his spirit energy, but they can't, because the babies need the reiatsu to survive. Unohana taichou said that she would be in as soon as he was stabilized and out of surgery. She says that she is sure he'll be okay."

"And the babies?"

Rukia shook her head and shrugged sadly.

"Renji, they won't know until he is stable."

Renji nodded in acceptance, keeping his breathing slow and trying not to allow the panic to sink down beneath his skin. Rukia studied him, then looked back at the door for a moment.

"Renji," she said softly, "Gia is in the waiting room. She's with Ichigo, but she is really scared about the two of you and the babies. Do you think you could talk to her?"

"Yeah," Renji said, trying to look calmer than he felt, "Go ahead and send her in. I'll try to calm her down."

"You'd better calm yourself down first," Rukia commented, smiling sadly.

She rose and left the room, reappearing several minutes later with Gia at her side. The girl's long dark hair was tumbled and unbrushed and her face was stained with tears. She flew across the room and climbed onto the bed, careful not to jostle him, but throwing her arms around his neck and sobbing.

"Daddy Ren! Are you okay? Are our babies okay?"

Renji wrapped his arms around the girl and spoke quietly in her ear.

"It's going to be okay, Gia. The babies and I are both fine."

"But what about Daddy Bya? What about his babies?"

"They will be all right," Renji said, hoping he sounded more convinced than he felt, "They are helping him right now and when they're done, he will just need rest so he'll feel better."

"Are…are you s-sure?" Gia asked, rubbing the tears away from her eyes, "I saw Daddy Bya before they brought him here and he was sweating and his stomach was hurting really bad!"

"Look at me, Gia," Renji said firmly, patting her hair gently, "Byakuya and I…and our babies are all going to be okay. Just keep saying that to yourself, because that's the truth. Okay?"

She didn't answer, but buried her face in his shoulder and nodded.

Renji held her against his chest until the tears stopped and she calmed and drifted off to sleep.

"Rukia," he said softly, once he was sure she was asleep, "maybe you should go out and see if there's any news…"

"There won't be, I don't think," she said quietly, "Unohana taichou said that Byakuya's procedure was going to take several hours and that afterward, he would be in recovery for two hours…and then on bed rest here for a few days."

"Shit…" Renji breathed, "I didn't know it was so bad…"

"Stay calm," Rukia told him firmly, "We don't want you getting all up in arms and going into premature labor, too."

"I'm fine. I feel fine…but…I just wonder what was happening in our room…before we got carted off to the healing center. I have some images…some impressions of what Byakuya saw, but the drug he was given made him so groggy that he couldn't really see who was in our room."

"Well, for everyone's safety, I'm going to ask for more security around our rooms," Rukia said, looking worriedly at Gia, "and maybe you should consider letting me take Gia to Karakura Town for a few days. She can visit everyone there and the staff at home can focus more on watching over Nii-sama and you."

Renji sighed in frustration, but nodded.

"I think it would be best, considering. Byakuya is going to have to stay here, and I'll want to be with him. Even though what happened was aimed at us and not Gia, I don't want to take any chances."

Rukia nodded.

"Okay, I'll leave Gia here to visit with you and I'll get things ready for our trip to Karakura Town."

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya shifted and stretched and his eyes opened.

"It's about time you woke up," said Renji, looking over from the bed next to his, "You know, you scared the hell out of me and everyone else."

"Are my…"

"They're going to be fine," Renji assured him quickly, "but you went into premature labor…probably from the drugs that creep used on us. Unohana taichou said we were both lucky we didn't lose our babies. She had the security increased around here…and Rukia had the staff increase security around our rooms at home."

"Gia?"

"She's fine. Rukia took her to Karakura Town to stay with Ichigo…and she'll stay there too…until we figure out who that guy was."

"I looked at him," Byakuya said, furrowing his brow, but his hood was down. I didn't get a good look and the drug he used on me made me too weak to struggle much. Renji, I do know that he was trying to sexually assault you…and he would have if you hadn't awakened and called for help. We need to find out who he is…I won't be able to rest comfortably until I know he's been caught."

"Don't worry," Renji said, rolling over and reaching over to slip a hand into his, "They'll catch him. I don't want you worrying about that. You have to stay calm and try not to push yourself. Byakuya, you are going to have to be really careful from here on in. Unohana taichou said that the pregnancy is putting huge amounts of stress on your body. For some reason, although my body seems to have adjusted pretty well, yours is more resistant. You're reacting more strongly to emotional and physical issues…and she says it's not really something you can control. The only things you can do between now and the birth are to stay calm and stay off your feet. She had to adjust your spirit centers so that the babies can still draw reiatsu, but you will not be able to use your powers. She says it's safer that way. And she is going to wait a little more and deliver your babies early."

"But…"

"Don't worry," Renji assured him, "They'll be all right. And it will reduce the stress on you and them. It's really the best thing."

Byakuya sighed and nodded.

"I'm going to go back to the manor…with a security guard and get a few things for us. I'm going to stay here with you until Unohana taichou delivers your babies."

Byakuya nodded again, but said nothing. Renji read his expression and moved to his side, slipping an arm around him.

"Don't worry, they'll be all right."

He stayed at the noble's side until Byakuya drank a cup of tea and drifted off to sleep, then dressed and left with a guard. Byakuya slept quietly, comfortable knowing that the guard was at the door. But his eyes blinked open as the guard knocked lightly and opened the door.

"Hisoka-san is here to see you, sir."

Byakuya nodded.

"Very well, allow him to pass."

The servant walked in, carrying a small box and wearing a warm smile.

"Kuchiki-sama," he said, bowing, "I was so sorry to hear that you were not well. I wanted to come and wish you well…and to give you a gift."

Byakuya's eyes rose to the box as it opened. His lips curved into a smile at the sight of the intricately carved sakura tree. The trunk of the small tree was dark brown and finely textured. It rose upward and broke away into dainty, reaching limbs that ended with pink, light metal sakura blossoms. The blossoms hung down and fluttered softly as Hisoka set the tree in Byakuya's hands.

"This is exquisite," Byakuya said appreciatively, "Hisoka…arigato."

"It was nothing, Kuchiki-sama. I enjoy making these small crafts in my spare time and I've seen how you love the sakura trees at your home…"

"Again, arigato."

"I am pleased you like it, Kuchiki-sama." Hisoka said softly.

Byakuya's brow furrowed suddenly and his head bent slightly in thought. A cold stab of fear passed through him as he heard Hisoka's softer voice in his mind. His breath caught sharply and he looked up at the servant.

"What is it, Kuchiki-sama? Is something wrong?"

Before Byakuya could answer, a soft hissing sound erupted from the tree and white mist enveloped him. He tried not to breathe it in, but it had happened so suddenly, the drug was already overtaking him. He felt a hand over his mouth and the tree was taken from him and set on the nightstand.

"I knew you would be too likely to remember," Hisoka said in a low voice, "You saw me with Abarai-san, didn't you? I know you did, so I will take you first."

"Why?" Byakuya managed dizzily, "Why are you…"

"Shh, sleep, Kuchiki-sama. You must not get overexcited. You have to think about your babies."

"Hisoka…don't…"

The noble's words faded and he fell back against the pillows. Hisoka smiled slyly and wrote a short note, then set it on the nightstand beneath the sakura tree. He turned back and carefully lifted Byakuya, then slipped out the window, and flash stepped quietly away into the darkness.

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji closed the door to the bedroom and returned with his guard to the manor entrance. The head of security greeted him and bowed.

"Abarai-san, we are still working on our investigation, but we have found a few oddities."

"What did you find?" Renji asked quickly.

"Our initial search yielded nothing useful, but when we did a deeper reiatsu search, we located an item of interest."

He held up the small, carved wolf Hisoka had given Renji.

"The wolf?" Renji asked, narrowing his eyes, "What's interesting about it? It was a gift from Hisoka."

The guard nodded.

"But the reiatsu search revealed that it is a gift with a more insidious purpose. Inside is a small chamber that appears to have been filled with a drug to render one unconscious."

"So…Hisoka drugged us? He tried to attack me? Are you sure?" Renji asked.

"We are certain, sir," the guard said, nodding, "After we found this, we carefully searched his room and we found the tools he used for making this. We also found these…"

The guard handed Renji several pictures.

"Pictures of me?" Renji mused, "What? He has some kind of creepy obsession or something?"

"It seems so," the guard went on, "So we tried to locate him…but as of yet, he has not been found."

"Byakuya will want to know about this. Keep looking for that guy and let us know as soon as you find him."

He turned to his bodyguard.

"Come on, we need to get back to Byakuya and tell him about this."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Are you comfortable, Kuchiki-sama?" Hisoka asked, bringing Byakuya awake with a start.

Byakuya opened his eyes and found himself in an unfamiliar room, looking up at Hisoka. He tried to get up, but was stopped by a restraint on his wrist that wouldn't allow him to get out of the bed.

"I have sealed away your spirit energy so that you cannot attack me and you will remain here until your babies are born."

"Hisoka…you have to release the seal on my spirit energy. The babies won't survive if you don't. I don't have my powers anyway! The surgery I had left me powerless, so that the stress on my body would be reduced. I swear to you. If the seal on my powers is not removed, the babies will die!"

"He speaks the truth," said a gruff voice from the doorway, "I sense it."

Byakuya's eyes widened at the sight of the huge hollow who stood, his body filling the doorway.

Hisoka nodded briefly and leaned over Byakuya, touching the restraint at his wrist and unsealing his spirit centers. Byakuya breathed a sigh of relief and rested against the pillows. He gazed up at his captor warily and waited.

"You need to be quiet and stay calm, Kuchiki-sama. As long as you cooperate, nothing bad will happen."

"But why are you doing this?" Byakuya asked, calm returning to his voice.

Hisoka closed his eyes.

"He is a beautiful thing, Kuchiki-sama. I have thought so for the longest time…ever since he became your fukutaichou. And you may treat him better now. But even though he has forgotten how you were before, I remember how you treated him…him and everyone else. Renji-san forgave you for that. He always makes excuses for you…but you cannot simply walk free after everything you have done. You deserve to pay. So you will give up Renji-san to me. I will take care of him and love him the way he deserves. He and his babies will be happy with me. He will forget you when you are gone and he will love me…"

"You won't hurt my babies..."

"No, Kuchiki-sama. I will wait until they are born..."

"What are you planning to do to me?" Byakuya asked, a note of tension in his voice.

Hisoka looked from Byakuya to the large hollow and smiled wickedly.

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji rushed past the guard at Byakuya's door and burst into his room.

"Byakuya, we found out that…"

He gazed uncomprehendingly at the empty bed and opened window. A breeze entered the room and he heard a soft, tinkling noise. His head turned and his heart leapt into his throat as he spotted the sakura tree on the nightstand. Flash stepping forward, he picked it up and found a note beneath it.

_I have Kuchiki-sama and will kill him and his babies unless you come to me alone. Meet me at midnight at the central senkaimon…and remember…if you try anything or bring anyone, I will kill him immediately._


	11. Taken

**Chapter 11: Taken**

Byakuya stared with widened eyes as the hollow entered his room and turned toward him, carrying something in his huge hands. He shivered softly, feeling exceptionally vulnerable without his powers and left alone with the hollow. The beast met his eyes calmly, but the golden eyes sent fresh chills down the noble's spine. He felt a twinge in his abdomen and forced himself to take a few calming breaths. He was taken by surprise at the look of sympathy the creature gave him.

"I brought you some tea," said the hollow, revealing the cup in his hand, "Hisoka-san has turned you over to me. I will care for you until your babies are born."

"What do you know about caring for a pregnant shinigami…especially a pregnant _male_ shinigami?" the noble objected, "I am not handling my pregnancy well and I should not have been moved from the healing center!"

"Well, it seems that you and I have both been thrown into the midst of something unexpected, but I know enough to be of some assistance to you. When I was stationed in Las Noches, I used to be a prison physician. On occasion, such things occurred there…especially with Ichimaru Gin's experimenting."

Byakuya's face paled. He was aware, of course, of the reports of what went on in the prisons. All of the taichous were…

"Is that where you are going to take me when I have given birth?" he asked quietly.

The hollow met his eyes squarely.

"It is best if you don't ask any questions which have answers that might cause you stress. It is best, I think, to remain in the moment and deal with the situation at hand. I know you had surgery very recently…and that you need to be on bed rest and keep yourself calm."

"How can I be expected to remain calm when I am only being kept alive to bear my children? When I, most likely, will not even get to ever see them, but might only hear their voices when they are born?" Byakuya asked, closing his eyes.

"You seem to be a courageous and resourceful sort," the hollow commented, "I have no doubt you will do what is best for your children."

Byakuya sighed and leaned back against the pillows. The hollow extended one large hand and Byakuya opened his eyes again and accepted the tea wordlessly. He sipped at it silently, his eyes blinking slowly as he mulled over his situation. The hollow sat down in a chair next to the bed, sipping his own tea and watching Byakuya's every move.

"Do you have a name?" the noble said finally, "If you are going to be responsible for my care, I would like to know who you are."

"I am Naizetsumei."

Byakuya sighed.

"Not exactly encouraging, that," he replied, "but you said you worked in the prisons. So Hisoka wishes to torture me when the babies are born?" Byakuya queried, "Or are you merely here to care for me and one of you will kill me once I give birth?"

"Didn't you listen before?" the hollow admonished him, "I told you that you need to remain calm for your babies' health. This subject is not fitting for now. We will talk about it later. I will say that Hisoka asked me to care for you and that he left it to me to decide your fate when you have given birth."

"But he wants me dead…I feel it. And you are a hollow. I imagine you want the same thing…"

"If you do not desist, I will have to render you unconscious…for your own good. Rest…"

"Byakuya," the noble supplied.

"Rest…Byakuya," Naizetsumei said calmly.

Realizing the futility of argument, Byakuya closed his eyes and rested against the pillows. But beneath his eyelids, he pushed away sleep in favor of forming a strategy.

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji swallowed hard and approached the senkaimon, mentally crossing his fingers and hoping that his plan would work. He extended his senses, but was still nearly taken by surprise when Hisoka's voice rose out of the darkness behind him.

"Stop there," the servant ordered.

Renji froze and waited as he was quickly searched and his weapon taken. Hisoka removed a blindfold.

"Wait," Renji said, "I'm not going any further until you provide proof that Byakuya is alive and has not been harmed."

Hisoka nodded.

"I expected that," he said, holding up an odd mechanical device with a screen, "This is a live feed from his current location. And when we arrive there, I will allow you to see him. But you must understand, you and Byakuya are over. I have paperwork the two of you will sign that will end your marriage…and you will marry me instead."

"And if I agree to this, you will release Byakuya…unharmed?" Renji asked.

"I will release him after he has had our babies," confirmed Hisoka.

Renji felt a chill beneath his skin. Hisoka was too calm, too sure of himself. The redhead took a breath and hoped feverishly that Ichigo would be able to track them…

"Now then, you must be blindfolded to hide the route to where we will be staying."

Renji flinched at the feel of the hands that fastened the blindfold into place. Hisoka took his hand and led him into the senkaimon. As soon as they were inside, the servant stopped him.

"What is it?" Renji asked, feeling an odd premonition of doom.

"Just a precaution," Hisoka said, "In case we are followed.

A sudden puff of something beneath his nose sent Renji crashing unexpectedly to the ground.

"Bastard!" hissed the redhead, dizzily, "I knew you'd try something!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Renji," called a soft voice.

The red haired shinigami groaned and opened his eyes. He found himself looking up into a dark haired, brown-eyed man's worried expression.

"Renji…are you all right?" he asked in a concerned voice, "You've been unconscious for so long!"

Renji squinted up at the man.

"Who are you? Where is this place?"

The man shook his head sadly.

"You don't remember…then it is as the healers said, "your memory has been altered. Don't worry, I have captured him and I will force him to return your memory."

"What?" said Renji, sitting up and placing a hand in his aching forehead, "Captured…who? Someone…did this to me?"

"Easy, lie back," Hisoka told him gently, "you have to be careful or you will hurt our babies."

"Babies?" Renji said slowly, looking down at his slightly distended abdomen, "I'm having babies? What happened? How did I get here? What the hell is going on?"

"Lie back, please," pleaded Hisoka, "you should not be out of bed. The healers said that you are in a fragile state. If you become agitated, you could go into labor before our babies are due."

"Our…babies?" Renji repeated, confused.

"Yes…oh my, it's just as they said. He did steal your memories! I had hoped it wouldn't work. But it seems that he was able to, after all!"

"What? Who? Who did this to me?" Renji demanded.

"Well…it's a bit of a long story," Hisoka said quietly, "But if you will be calm, I will explain."

"Well, excuse me for being a little upset at waking up, not knowing who the hell I am, where the hell we are and what's going on!"

Hisoka smiled warmly.

"Now that's the Abarai Renji I remember!" he chuckled, "I will tell you then. But I warn you. It is complicated."

Renji blinked and gazed up at Hisoka, still trying to remember him.

"I am Sato Hisoka, a servant of the master, Kuchiki Byakuya. You also served in his house for the last several years. Kuchiki-sama is a very powerful man…and very used to having his way. Kuchiki-sama has a large mansion in the Seireitei…and I have worked there for many years. And ever since the death of his wife, Kuchiki-sama has been a very angry and cruel man. He wasn't always that way, but he was devastated when his wife died…and his grief drove him mad."

"You say that I also served him?" Renji queried.

"Yes. The two of you served in the armed forces. He was your taichou. But he became attracted to you, and being a man who gets what he wants, he could not accept that you did not return his affections. Kuchiki-sama was furious when you rejected him. But instead of moving on, he hatched a terrible plan. He kidnapped you and used his powers to steal your memories. He then forced you to marry him and to make him with child…but to punish you, he said he would keep the children for himself and he locked you away in the mansion. I witnessed what he did to you…and I knew that because of his great power and influence, that I had to help you escape and hide you. I did so and while I was here, concealing and protecting you, we became lovers. Because of Kuchiki-sama's spell, you became pregnant with my children. It helped you to regain some of your memories and you wished to save your other children from Kuchiki-sama's grip. So we hatched a plan to lure him here and trap him. We have been hiding him here and waiting for the babies to be born. Unfortunately, he nearly escaped…and as we recaptured him, he attacked you…and caused you to relapse in your memories. You nearly lost your babies because of him! I trapped him and took his powers so that he cannot hurt us…and once the babies are born, we will kill Kuchiki-sama. We will kill him and take what is ours."

Renji stared at Hisoka in utter confusion. The other smiled placatingly.

"But you must be very achy and out of sorts. I have made some tea for us."

He helped Renji sit up and placed several pillows behind his back.

"Are you more comfortable?"

Renji nodded and accepted the tea.

Hisoka watched as he slowly drank the tea. As he finished, a warm, drowsy feeling passed over him and he began to drift off.

"Renji," Hisoka said, shaking him gently, "before you sleep, you must sign the papers to dissolve your marriage to Kuchiki-sama. I am forcing him to sign…and then I will have your marriage dissolved, so that we can marry."

A pen was set in his hand and Renji dazedly scratched out his name on the papers set before him. He yawned sleepily and fell back against the pillows.

"That's a good idea," Hisoka's voice told him gently, "Sleep Renji-san."

He placed a light kiss on the redhead's lips and watched until he was sure that Renji slept comfortably. Then he took the papers and quietly left Renji sleeping.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya watched silently as Hisoka talked quietly with Naizetsumei and sent the hollow out of the room. He then approached the noble, carrying a set of papers. He shoved them in front of the noble.

"Sign them, Kuchiki-sama," he said coldly.

Byakuya frowned and stared at the papers.

"Why would I do that?" he asked, "and why go to the trouble of all of the paperwork if you are just going to kill me anyway?"

Hisoka gave him a sly smile.

"You shouldn't concern yourself, Kuchiki-sama. You will understand later. Sign."

"No."

Hisoka frowned.

"You will sign. You will sign them now!" he said more forcefully.

Byakuya shook his head.

"I have no reason to sign. You are not going to hurt Renji and you will not hurt me, for risk of hurting the babies I carry. You have nothing to hold over my head."

The servant's eyes flared and burned with fury.

"I may not be able to hurt you as I want to, but I can certainly put you in pain without hurting the babies…" he warned Byakuya, "Would you like me to have Naizetsumei torture you? He knows how to do so…"

"He can't," Byakuya insisted, "because the stress would make me go into labor too early. I would lose Renji's babies. He would be devastated."

Hisoka's eyes snapped with rage and he slapped the noble hard across the face. Byakuya sat calmly, looking up at him defiantly.

"What's wrong?" the noble said coldly, "That doesn't fit into your plans? I know you think you will take Renji and our children away from me…and I know you plan to kill me…but if you are going to do that, you had better work on a more effective plan. You cannot force me to sign anything. I won't."

Hisoka glared at him for a moment, then smiled.

"Well then, Kuchiki-sama, I will get right to work on that. You will see. I will have Renji-san in the end. He will love me…and you will die."

His smile widened wickedly.

"Yes…you will die…and Renji-san will be the one to kill you!"

He turned and flash stepped away, laughing madly. Byakuya touched his cheek where the servant had struck it, watching as Naizetsumei returned to the room. The hollow carried a tray of food, which he set down beside the noble.

"I'm not hungry," Byakuya said in a low voice.

"You haven't eaten since Hisoka-san brought you here," said the hollow calmly, "regardless of whether you are hungry or not, your children require sustenance."

He set the tray in Byakuya's lap and stepped away.

"I will return shortly to collect the dishes."

The hollow turned away and left the room. Byakuya sighed softly and contemplated the food. Despite his anger at being taken and held against his will, he knew that the hollow spoke the truth. He ate a small amount, then set the tray on the nightstand and gazed quietly out the window. After a time, he heard a noise in the doorway and looked up to see Naizetsumei entering the room. He picked up the dishes and left, then returned. He walked to the bed and unhooked the chain that was connected to Byakuya's wrist.

"Come…we will walk a bit. You must need to stretch your legs."

Byakuya stared for a moment, then allowed the hollow to help him to his feet. He walked alongside the creature as they made their way through the house and then outside. The hollow led Byakuya through a garden, where they rested and had tea, then the two rose and returned to the house.

"How are you feeling?" the hollow asked, "Are you in any pain?"

"No," Byakuya answered, leaning back against the pillows, surprised at how good it felt to lie down again.

The hollow leaned over him and touched his cheek where Hisoka had bruised it. Healing light glowed around the bruise and it slowly disappeared. The hollow turned and walked silently to the door.

"I will return later with your dinner," he told the noble.

Byakuya nodded and closed his eyes.

_It isn't much, but at least there is hope._

As he had walked with Naizetsumei, he had felt the touch of Renji's reiatsu and now knew where the redhead was being kept. It wouldn't be long, he thought, until they escaped together.


	12. Connected

**Chapter 12: Connected**

Renji woke feeling groggy and sick. He rolled to his feet and made his way to the bathroom. The feeling of the room spinning and his stomach pitching made him retch and cough. When the sickness had passed, he sat on the floor with his back against the wall, slowly regaining his breath. He felt an odd feeling…like he had done this before, but that always before a warm arm would wrap around him and help him back to his feet. Someone's voice would sound…calm and low…and it would make him feel better all over. He tried to imagine that person being Hisoka, and couldn't. Despite his words…about how they loved each other and this Kuchiki-sama was an evil man…Renji didn't feel any connection at all to Hisoka. But he thought he might be connected to the captive that the man held somewhere in the house.

He left the bathroom and peeked out into the hallway. No one seemed to be about, so he walked its length and started to pass into another. He heard a soft sound of discomfort and stopped at one of the doors. Peeking in, he saw Hisoka standing next to a huge hollow, who leaned over someone in the bed.

"Is that helping, Byakuya?" asked the hollow.

"Yes…some," the man in the bed answered.

"Byakuya," Renji whispered, trying to conjure any image of the man.

The hollow lifted himself and turned towards the door. Renji slipped into the next room and waited until the hollow had passed by, then stepped into the room where Byakuya lay restrained. He looked to be sleeping, so Renji moved closer, studying the pale, quiet features, the slender hands that rested on the covers…anything to give him a sense of familiarity. He closed his eyes and tried to connect with any memory of him, but although he looked familiar, there was nothing more.

He realized suddenly that the man's wide gray eyes had opened and were looking up at him…

"Renji," he mouthed, almost soundlessly.

The expression on his face was solemn, but deeply affected. He reached out with one graceful hand, but was stopped short of touching the redhead by the bonds on his wrist. Renji stared at him, trying to imagine him as evil…as vengeful and couldn't. But, he reminded himself, he could have been made docile like this by his predicament. And maybe he knew that Hisoka was planning to kill him. And even if he had done cruel things before, perhaps his captivity would have made him more vulnerable…

"You are Kuchiki Byakuya?" Renji asked softly.

The dark eyes closed for a moment and when they opened again, they were sad, but accepting.

"Yes."

"Hisoka-san said…that you made me forget."

"I know," Byakuya answered quietly, "Do you believe him?"

"It doesn't matter…because believe him or not, I have to listen to him until I know what's true."

"Then…you are unsure?"

He could see hope burning in the centers of those eyes. Renji froze, staring down into them.

_What's happening?_

"Renji-san," said Hisoka's voice from the doorway.

It shattered the spell that had held him so tightly and left him wondering. Was it that he and Byakuya were connected or was he trying to use some power to…

"Renji-san, it is not a good idea for you to be here."

Byakuya said nothing as Hisoka led him back to the doorway, only holding his eyes captive with that calm, but at the same time, desperate look.

"He is bound so that he cannot escape, but that does not mean that it is safe to be around him. If you let him speak to you, he might try to…"

"He has a power to persuade me?" Renji said dazedly.

"Yes, yes," said the other, guiding him away, "Come now, I think that you have had enough excitement. You must eat and rest to make sure our babies stay healthy."

Renji let himself be led back into his room and helped back into bed, then watched silently as Hisoka prepared his tea.

"_Can I make you some tea, Taichou?"_

"_Hai, tea would be good Abarai, arigato."_

Renji shook his head to clear it, but only became more muddled.

"Here is your tea, Renji-san."

Renji accepted the tea and sipped at it, trying to calm the panicked feeling inside. Hisoka acted kindly towards him…but so did Byakuya. Hisoka said that Byakuya was cruel and dangerous, but Byakuya was helpless and Hisoka was using a dangerous hollow to keep him that way. He couldn't be sure who was on his side…and until he was sure, he couldn't make a move.

He rubbed his stomach to ease the growing tension inside, but the tension only worsened and became painful. He breathed through it, taking small sips of tea and reminding himself that there were often minor pains before the babies came. The pain sharpened and he moaned softly.

"Renji-san, are you all right?" asked Hisoka.

"I…I don't know. I think…I…"

"Renji-san?"

He heard footsteps leaving the room and blinked to clear his eyes, but only succeeded in making himself feel more dizzy and ill. His abdomen throbbed again and he felt power fire itself unexpectedly through his spirit centers. There was an odd, vaguely familiar feeling of disorientation and everything went black.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya opened his eyes and was surprised to find that his hands could move freely. He realized a moment later that first, he was in Renji's body again and second, that he was experiencing the now familiar pain of compressed spirit centers. He remembered Unohana taichou saying that it was an easy condition to relieve, but that if not treated, it could become deadly.

"Renji-san, relax now," said Hisoka, running in the door with Naizetsumei following, "This hollow is a friend. He will not hurt you."

"You are in pain?" the hollow asked, leaning over him.

"M-my spirit centers are compressed…y-you have to…relieve the pressure," he explained.

The hollow nodded.

"I am familiar with this."

Byakuya was aware that Renji wouldn't be aware of the hollow's experience and knew better than to simply accept what he said.

"N-no!" he said, struggling weakly, "Y-you're a freaking hollow! Get your hands away from m-me, you…"

"Renji-san, please," said Hisoka.

"H-how does he know how to help? How would he know how to treat a pregnant male shinigami?"

"Rest easy, Renji-san," said Hisoka, "Naizetsumei served in the prisons of Hueco Mundo. He has assisted other pregnant males…"

"You mean you helped that bastard, Gin, with his experiments…"

"He didn't have a choice, Renji-san. Once he was able, he escaped that life and came here. Now lie back and let him help you."

"Are you s-sure, Hisoka-san?"

"Yes, of course, Renji-san. Naizetsumei is only trying to help you," Hisoka assured him.

Byakuya relaxed and allowed the hollow to proceed. The large hands traveled over him, slowly sensing each spirit center and carefully adjusting the position to relieve the pressure placed by the developing reiatsu clusters. He looked down into the redhead's brown eyes.

"Is this relieving the pain?" he asked.

Byakuya nodded.

"That's better…arigato."

The hollow continued to study his abdomen carefully.

"The reiatsu clusters are nearly matured. They will likely interfere with your spirit centers more often from now until the babies are born. And the babies will be born very soon."

Byakuya reached down and ran his hand gently over the small clusters, his lips curving into a smile. It faded quickly as Hisoka stepped forward and smiled at him.

"You see, Renji-san," he said happily, "all is well again. I will go and make your lunch now."

He turned to Naizetsumei.

"You had better check on Kuchiki-sama to make sure that he is resting and eating properly."

"B-byakuya?" the noble said, unsure what Hisoka had done to Renji.

"Hush now, Renji-san," the servant said, taking his hand, then leaning down to kiss him, "I will keep you safe from him. And once his babies are born, we will be rid of him. Then you and I and all of our beautiful babies will be together. We will make a lovely little family here. You will see. Forget about Kuchiki-sama. He won't be here for much longer."

Byakuya barely held his reiatsu in check as Hisoka kissed him deeply again and left the room. He waited until he heard the servant leave the house, then climbed out of bed and made his way through the house until he reached the hallway where he had been imprisoned. He heard his own voice rising up, loud and distressed.

"What the fuck did you do to me, you freak! This isn't my body! This is his! What happened? What the hell happened?"

"Byakuya, you must remain calm," Naizetsumei said in a low voice, "It is very bad for you to excite yourself. Your babies are nearing distress and so are you."

Byakuya slipped down the hallway and into the room. Naizetsumei looked up at him and shook his head.

"Renji-san, Hisoka-san said that you must not come here to see Kuchiki-sama."

"I'm not FUCKING BYAKUYA! I'm Abarai Renji, you idiot! I don't even talk like him! I don't know what you bastards did to me, but you need to fucking change it back!"

"Uh," said Byakuya, carefully considering his wording, "Look, Naizetsumei, Hisoka-san wouldn't want him to lose the babies. I think I can calm him down."

"He seems to have lost his senses," said the hollow, staring, "He thinks he is you, Renji-san."

"Yeah," Byakuya said calmly, "I can deal with it. Can you leave us alone for a few minutes? I promise I'll leave after."

The hollow sighed and left the room.

Byakuya sat down on the bed.

"Renji," he said softly, "I want you to listen to me carefully. I know you are having trouble remembering things. Hisoka has affected your mind. I don't know why you have forgotten, but we sometimes switch bodies. One of us must have had a power flare and we switched."

"What? What?" moaned Renji, placing a hand on his abdomen, "I'm…I'm really confused. What the fuck is happening? I don't feel so good…"

"You have to calm yourself. Remember, Unohana taichou told us that my body isn't handling the pregnancy well. If you don't calm down, my body will go into premature labor and we will lose our babies. Please Renji, whether you believe me about the rest doesn't matter. I only want to protect you and our babies."

"B-but…I'm having…Hisoka's babies…aren't I?" Renji moaned almost deliriously.

Byakuya slipped a hand into his.

"I know he has confused your mind, Renji, but if you listen to your heart, you will know that I am your only lover, your life partner and that all of these we carry were made by the two of us. I would never hurt you, Renji. Now try to stay calm."

"H-how…how do I get back into m-my b-body?" Renji stammered, his eyes dimming oddly.

"We will have to wait for our power to flare again. It happens on its own. But Renji, I'm going to get you out of here. Come."

He released the restraints and helped his shivering spouse to his feet.

"Are you…taking m-me away from Hisoka?" Renji asked as Byakuya led him to the door.

He peeked into the hallway and didn't see the hollow or sense him. He led Renji into the hallway and quickly turned him down a deserted hall, then down a set of stairs. Renji leaned against him, looking far too pale and sick. He moaned incoherently and swayed when he tried to walk. His hands held Byakuya tightly.

The noble led him to the back of the house and found an opened window. He helped Renji through, then caught him as he simply collapsed. Lifting the unconscious shinigami, he slipped off the back porch and moved along the side of the house. He stopped and looked around, trying to center on where they were, but the area was unfamiliar. He remembered then that in Renji's body, he still had use of shinigami powers and quickly summoned a hell butterfly.

_This is a level five emergency. Officers Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Byakuya in distress. Location…living world…cannot determine coordinates. View enclosed video feed for details._

He turned the hell butterfly slowly, taking views of the area, then continued the message.

_Priority one…need medical assistance. Be advised, abductors are onsite and should be considered dangerous._

He released the hell butterfly and continued down the side of the house. Reaching the end, he looked around to make sure he had not been seen. As he moved towards some brush, he heard a commotion in the house. He ran into the bushes and found a small trail that seemed to lead down the hill the house sat on. He slipped off of the trail and found a place to conceal the two of them. He sat silently, holding Renji against him and watching as Hisoka exited the house with Naizetsumei behind him. They turned in different directions and began a methodical search that Byakuya knew would lead them straight to them. Renji stirred softly and moaned.

"Oh…oh…I f-feel…awful."

Byakuya slipped a hand down to rest on his abdomen and blanched as he realized that the babies were in distress. They needed immediate help.

"Oh Renji…we're in trouble. We're going to have to go back…and I don't if we'll be able to get out again. I don't know if you can hear me…but I promise…we'll get away from them somehow. Trust me, please."

Renji's eyes opened and found his.

"It h-hurts."

"I know," Byakuya said softly, "We'll go back. The hollow can stabilize the body you're in. We'll likely change back then. Just…Renji, please, if we switch back…you have to leave me. Try to escape and get help. My body has been pushed to its limits and can take no more."

"Wh-what?" Renji moaned incoherently, "I think…the babies…are…are crying."

Byakuya lifted him and stepped out onto the trail, then turned back to the house, swallowing hard as Hisoka approached him, looking furious.

"What are you doing, Abarai-san?" he said angrily.

"I…I'm s-sorry," Byakuya said, placing the body he carried in the hollow's arms, "H-he convinced me to unbind him. It was a mistake. He collapsed as he tried to escape…but the babies are in distress. You have to help him!"

Hisoka studied his face suspiciously, but finally nodded.

"See to Kuchiki-sama," he told the hollow, "Come, Renji-san, I will make you some tea and see if you sustained any wounds."

"I'm fine," Byakuya said, "It was just…"

At that moment, he felt his power centers flare and the strange twisting sensation of switching began. He swayed dizzily and fell into Hisoka's arms.

_I'm sorry, Renji…_

_I did try to get us out of this…_

_It was my fault, my body that failed…_


	13. Incinerate

**Chapter 13: Incinerate**

Byakuya sensed that he had returned to his own body, but struggled just beneath consciousness, trying to open his eyes or to regain some manner of control over his failing form. He shivered uncontrollably and heard himself calling Renji's name.

"Hisoka-san," said Naizetsumei, "we must bring Renji-san. He is panicked and I don't know what else to do to calm him."

"Are the babies all right?" Hisoka asked.

"They are alive…but the strain on Byakuya's body is too great. We need to keep him extremely calm and quiet. I believe he will deliver within the next day or maybe two. But the babies are in a precarious state and it is less than certain that he will survive the birth."

"I really don't care if he survives. I will compensate you for your trouble if he dies. Just make sure his babies are not damaged!"

"Then you will bring Renji-san?" the hollow asked.

Hisoka nodded.

"But I will place a shield around the room that they cannot pass through…to keep them from escaping again. I don't want them getting out like before."

Byakuya heard footsteps leaving the room. They returned a few minutes later and he felt someone settle onto the bed next to him and take his hand.

"Do you have to keep him bound like that?" asked Renji, "I think it's upsetting him. He can't get through the shield anyway…"

"Fine," said Hisoka stiffly, "but don't try to leave. If you do, his babies will be likely to die…and I know you don't want that, Renji-san."

Byakuya felt the rough hands of the hollow release the bonds on his wrists.

"Do you mind leaving us?" Renji said, "He needs complete relaxation…and whatever he might have done, I want him to relax for the rest of the pregnancy."

Hisoka looked like he wanted to argue, but motioned to Naizetsumei and the two left.

Renji waited until he was sure that the two were gone, then slipped beneath the covers and curled his body around Byakuya's. He raised his reiatsu and flowed healing energy into the noble's chilled and shaking body. Byakuya sighed in relief and turned into the redhead's arms.

"R-ren…" he moaned weakly.

"I'm here. My head is still pretty messed up…but I just can't believe the shit he said about you. You tried to get me out of here…and I know that it wasn't like he said. I feel it."

"H-how do you know for sure?" the noble asked in a trembling voice.

"Well…for one thing, when we switched bodies, I sensed what your thoughts were…and I didn't feel anything like what he said. He doesn't know we switched, does he?"

"N-no."

Renji stroked the noble's dark hair soothingly.

"We have to get you out of here," the redhead went on, "You're about to have your babies and you need to be in the healing center."

"I don't think we'll be there in time. I feel awfully light-headed and the pain in my stomach is throbbing again."

Renji reached around him and rubbed his stomach, sending healing energy into the area.

"You have to stay calm, okay? We need to think of a way out of here."

"I sent a distress call," Byakuya whispered, "but I couldn't sense the coordinates. It will be hard for them to find us."

"Well, I'm sure we'll think of something, but while I think about it, I want you to get some sleep. Let your body settle down. You've been under too much stress here."

Byakuya settled in his arms and drifted off quickly. Renji continued to surround him in healing energy and warmth. He ran his hand lightly over the noble's abdomen and found the four fully matured reiatsu clusters that waited to emerge. Tears came to his eyes thinking about how they were about to become parents…how everything was about to change. But if he didn't think of a way for them to get out, he knew that he would lose Byakuya…and he couldn't even think about that.

He was distracted out of his thoughts as the door opened and Hisoka returned with Naizetsumei at his side. He looked from Byakuya to Renji and a darkness invaded his eyes.

"Come, Renji-san," he said, in a voice that gave Renji chills, "Kuchiki-sama is sleeping now. I will make us some tea."

"I think I should stay with him," Renji said softly, "I don't want to wake him."

"You won't. And he will have an attendant. Naizetsumei will call for you if Kuchiki-sama needs you. Come."

Unable to think of an argument, Renji followed him through an opening he created in the shielding and the two walked back to Renji's room. Renji sat down on the bed and watched as Hisoka prepared their tea.

"I've hardly been able to spend any quality time with you, Renji-san," Hisoka said in a voice that seemed gentle, but held malevolence just beneath the surface.

He handed Renji the tea and watched as the redhead sipped at it absently.

"It's okay," Renji said, "A lot has been going on, right? We'll make up for…"

He stopped as a drowsiness began to steal over him. He felt odd…as though his limbs had become heavy. The cup dropped from his hand and he fell back onto the bed.

"Wh-what are you…?"

Hisoka smiled and climbed onto the bed.

"You must think I'm very, very stupid," he said mockingly, "I could see you were starting to believe Kuchiki-sama over me. Why did you do that?"

"I…d-didn't…"

"Don't lie to me, Renji-san. I can tell you are lying."

He moved Renji's body onto the bed and opened his yukata. Smiling, he ran his fingers over the tattoos on his chest.

"You fucking loony!" Renji groaned, "What the fuck are you doing? I'm about to give birth, for kami's sake! You can't…"

He tried to struggle, but found that his body wouldn't obey him any longer. He moaned and tried to raise his reiatsu, but everything seemed to have been thrown askew by the drug he had been given.

"Don't touch me…" he moaned.

"Of course, I'll touch you," Hisoka said, leaning over him, "We're lovers, now, Renji. I can touch you anywhere…and usually, I'll be gentle. But you tried to trick me…to run away, and you have to be punished for that."

He settled on top of the incapacitated redhead, placing rough, angry kisses on his mouth and thrusting his tongue inside. His hands made Renji shiver in disgust, but he was left helpless as the hands touched him everywhere and as the servant's mouth traveled down his body and found his limp member. Hisoka's mouth wrapped around his length and moved up and down relentlessly. Renji groaned and managed a weak struggle, but it wasn't enough to break away. He was hardening despite himself and Hisoka smiled around his cock in a way that made Renji's skin crawl.

"L-let g-go…you…you…freak! Get off!"

He broke free of the drowsiness for a moment and fell onto the floor. His abdomen tensed warningly and he crawled desperately for the door. Hisoka leapt off of the bed and recaptured him, holding him down and entrapping him on his stomach on the floor. He wasted no more time, but forced himself between the redhead's thighs and brought his thick erection to Renji's tight entrance. The redhead groaned and tried to twist away, but Hisoka pressed his weight down on the trapped shingami's back.

"Don't fight me anymore," Hisoka said, abandoning all warmth, "You are becoming too troublesome for your own good. Just remember, Kuchiki-sama is in a very delicate condition right now and you wouldn't want to do anything that might cause his situation to become worse. Now get back in bed and do as I tell you or I will have the hollow kill him and the brats inside him!"

Despite wanting to shred the creepy servant, Renji knew he was cornered. The drugs made him too muddled to think straight and too weak to overcome Hisoka. Bereft of choices, he returned to the bed wordlessly. Hisoka began to tie him down, but was distracted as Naizetsumei appeared in the doorway.

"What is it!" he snapped.

"Two things," the hollow said warningly, "First, Byakuya is awake and asking for Renji-san and secondly, someone is watching the house. I sensed at least one strong shinigami, perhaps two…and they were quick to hide their reiatsu once they knew I'd sensed them."

"Very well," Hisoka said angrily, "Take him and lock him in with the other one…and remain on guard. I have an escape route planned in case they get in."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Sorry about that, Ichigo said as he followed Kisuke and Yoruichi through the brush, "It's hard for me to control how strong my reiatsu is."

"Don't worry about it," Kisuke said, shaking his head, "That hollow I sensed was surprisingly powerful. It didn't just sense you. I'm sure it sensed us as well. But it won't know what our plans are…how we'll approach."

"Um, Kisuke," said Ichigo, scratching his head, "How _will_ we approach?"

"We're going to distract him, draw him out."

"But don't forget," said Yoruichi, "The distress call Renji sent said abductors…plural, so we must assume there's more than one and be cautious in approaching."

"But we have to remember also that Renji said there was a priority one medical issue. If he was the one giving the message…"

"It means Byakuya's in trouble," Ichigo finished.

"And we all know that his pregnancy was going a bit more roughly than Renji's," Kisuke reminded them, "Okay, we move in slow. I'll sense how many, then we'll figure out how to move in."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Naizetsumei said you needed me," Renji said, sitting down on the bed next to Byakuya and slipping a hand into his.

Byakuya turned his head and despite the deeply pale look about him, he looked clear minded. His eyes met Renji's warily.

"I felt…like something was wrong," he said softly, "It woke me up and I had to be sure you were okay."

Renji smiled.

"I'm fine, thanks to you. That creep just tried to get a little too friendly is all, but thanks to you and whoever is outside, he had to stop."

Byakuya's hand tightened on his.

"You're sure you're all right? I'll kill that snake for touching you!"

"Whoa!" said Renji affectionately, "I think you'd better remember that you're not supposed to be getting all riled. You stopped him by sending the hollow for me. I'm fine now. Don't worry about it. How are _you_ doing?"

"Well enough, I suppose," he replied, but Renji could hear the tension in his voice, "but we need to get out of here soon. Everything in me says that these babies will be born very soon…and I don't want to have them in a place like this."

"You won't," Renji promised, "We'll find a way,"

"Normally, there isn't a kido shield that can hold against me," Byakuya said, "but with my powers reduced, I can't break through it. You have the reiatsu, but if you raise yours to the level needed to break us out, it could send _you_ into labor."

"I'll be fine," Renji assured him, "I just have to do this while those two are distracted with whoever's lurking around."

"I don't often welcome the arrival of the secret mobile corps," Byakuya commented, "but I wouldn't mind seeing them…or even some of Zaraki taichou's squad about now."

"Damn!" Renji smiled, "What, are you dying? You must be!"

"Shut up, Abarai, and make yourself useful. Raise your reiatsu and try to funnel it down to a pinpoint, then force it through. Once the shield is breached, you should be able to break it."

"Okay…but I'm sure it won't be as precise as if you did it!"

"Likely not," Byakuya replied, managing a small smile, "but in our current situation, a little more brute strength might come in handy."

"Whoa…is that an insult?" Renji said, frowning.

"Not exactly."

"Rest, will you?" Renji said, shaking his head, "We may have to make a run for it and I can't carry you!"

"Yes, you proved that trying to carry me over the threshold after our wedding, remember?" Byakuya replied, narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah… I remember," Renji said, smiling at the memory, "But as I recall, my clumsiness set off some very intense wedding might sex."

"Renji…I'm not supposed to be getting riled…"

The redhead laughed softly again and moved to the window.

"They're searching around outside, but they're focused on the area that leads down the hill."

"That's because there's a cliff on the other side."

"Then we escape on that side. We can always work our way around…and if we show ourselves, then our rescuers will probably come out and help us."

He studied the other windows in the room.

"There's a place to drop down here," Renji said, "Just be careful to drop gently if you can."

Renji stepped back and raised his reiatsu.

"Get down," he warned the noble, "This could get dangerous."

Byakuya slipped out of bed and lowered himself onto the floor, then waited as the power coalesced around Renji's hands. The red head focused deeply and aimed the blast at the shield holding them inside. The shield held at first, sparking and flashing brightly as it resisted the intrusion, but the redhead raised his power until the room shook with it and finally, the shield exploded, opening up a large section of the wall as well. Renji ran back and pulled Byakuya to his feet.

"They have to have felt that. Let's get out of here!"

Byakuya said nothing, but moved with him towards the window. Renji slipped his hands into the noble's and let him down gently, then started to follow.

"Good job," Byakuya said, smirking, "You've set the house on fire."

Renji started to answer, but was cut off as Hisoka rose up behind him and brought a knife to his throat.

"Renji!" Byakuya hissed.

"Don't come any closer!" Hisoka warned him, "I'll kill him! I will, Kuchiki-sama! Now, don't try to follow!"

Byakuya sensed their direction as they fled back into the house, and he ran along the balcony he had dropped into. His abdomen throbbed warningly, but he only knew he had to reach the redhead before the servant disappeared with him. He found an open door and ran inside, then tried to stop, but ran, full speed, into the hollow. He gasped in dismay as the big hands took hold of him. His widened gray eyes met the hollow's for a moment.

"Don't struggle," the creature said, "I don't want to hurt your babies. Just come with me. We need to escape before the fire catches up with us."

"But Renji!"

"Hisoka-san will get him out. He has an escape route, but we don't. Come."

Byakuya was forced to move with him as the hollow took hold of his wrist and dragged him along the now-burning hallway. They ran towards the stairs, only to stop short as fire erupted in front of them. The hollow turned and dragged the noble down, then crawled into a bedroom and closed the door, tearing off his shirt and stuffing it under the door. They passed through a sliding glass door that had shattered in the explosion and found themselves trapped on another balcony, two stories up. Byakuya gave a sharp cry as he turned back and saw Renji and Hisoka appear at the top of the structure. Nearly the entire house was engulfed in flames.

"Renji!" screamed Byakuya above the roar of the flames.

The redhead turned and struck the man holding him and the two began to struggle against each other. Byakuya heard yells and Yoruichi and Kisuke suddenly flash stepped onto the balcony. Ichigo flew towards Renji, his weapon ready. Naizetsumei tightened an arm around Byakuya's throat and backed away slowly.

"I will release the shinigami if you agree not to attack me," he said in a low voice, "I worked for Hisoka-san and he promised this man to me in payment, but I will let him go peacefully if you allow me to leave in peace as well."

"Allow him to go," Byakuya told them.

The hollow made a sound of surprise. He released the noble and Byakuya turned back.

"You may have worked for Hisoka-san, but you did keep Renji's babies and mine safe and alive. Go."

The big hollow nodded and disappeared off the balcony.

"Come on," Yoruichi said, reaching for Byakuya's hand, "Let's get you out of here before this place topples and sets half of this hilltop on fire!"

"Renji!" Byakuya said, looking up to where Ichigo was arriving at the top of the house. He saw Ichigo reach for the redhead, then the house shuddered and groaned and started to fall.

"Renji!" Byakuya screamed again, struggling against the arms that took hold of him and carried him in flash steps safely to the ground.

The three watched with terrified eyes as an explosion roared through the falling building, throwing debris in all directions. Kisuke and Yoruichi turned and threw themselves down on top of the still-struggling noble as the house disappeared into the flames, leaving the three alone and staring at the edge of the cliff.

_Renji!_

_Shades, he can't be…gone?_


	14. Three Stars

**Chapter 14: Three Stars**

**(Lovingly dedicated to my sister, who lives in the stars and watches over me. I believe that she is the voice that whispers these stories to me...my muse and my own zanpakutou, if you will. Have the tissues ready...)**

Everything seemed to slow to a crawl in Byakuya's mind as the house that had been their place of captivity exploded and two bodies turned toward his and forced him to the ground. As he fell, his mind froze with a sharp mental image of Ichigo's hand taking Renji's and the first blossoming of flame as it roared towards them. And as soon as the shaking of the blast settled, he was struggling against the arms that held him fast, that trapped him and refused to let go as he screamed Renji's name and threw himself against the two restraining him. Calm voices started to break through, then disappeared into a searing jolt of pain in his abdomen. He made a softer, more guttural cry and made his body go limp, realizing what was happening.

"N-no…" he moaned softly, "Not now…not now…not now…"

"Kisuke," Yoruichi said softly.

The shopkeeper looked up at her meaningfully.

"Go and look for them. I will take care of him, I promise."

Yoruichi nodded and turned toward the burning wreckage. Byakuya turned his head to the side, no longer struggling, but unable to take his eyes off of the place where Renji lived or died.

"Try to relax," Kisuke said, "It's time, Byakuya-san."

Byakuya closed his eyes.

It wasn't enough to calm the heavy burning beneath them. His lips were silent, but his mind continued to scream that he wasn't ready, that he couldn't bear to do this without Renji…without Renji and here…

"Breathe slowly…I'll see if I can stabilize you for the trip home."

"I won't leave without him."

His eyes opened again and watched Yoruichi walk towards the burning wreckage. He felt the heat of it wash over him in a seething wave and scented something more fiery on the breeze. His lips formed the name, but he could hardly hope…

"Easy, Byakuya-san, the reiatsu clusters are calming. We may make it back in time. We can get as far as my shop or try to open a senkaimon."

"I won't leave Renji."

Urahara shook his head reprovingly.

"No one ever could tell you what to do…but take a moment and think of your babies. Think about what's best for them."

"It's best to know where we stand, Urahara-san. I am not one who will lie about 'thinking the best.' I will calm myself and wait until…"

The fiery essence on the wind grew stronger and silenced him. The reiatsu around the burning house rose and Byakuya took hold of Kisuke's arm. Kisuke helped him to sit up and followed his eyes to the wreckage, where something was happening…

A building up of pressure, a rumble of power…then an explosion that rocked the hilltop and threw fire and debris in all directions. Two dark forms burst out of the fire and landed, sooty, but looking unhurt.

"Renji!" Byakuya gasped, allowing Urahara to help him slowly to his feet.

The red hair was singed and blackened on the ends and his skin was grayed with soot and dust, but the lovely, familiar lips smiled and the dirty, sweaty arms curled around him.

"Are you all right?" Byakuya asked softly.

"I'm fine," Renji said, "Just singed my hair a bit, but hey, I was thinking of getting a haircut anyway."

Byakuya leaned against him and the two stood near the edge of the cliff looking back at the flaming ruins of the house.

"You okay, Ichigo?" asked Urahara, looking up at the filthy and coughing substitute shinigami.

Ichigo grinned and coughed several more times before managing to croak, "Fine."

Renji held Byakuya tightly and nodded to Kisuke.

"We need to get Byakuya to the healing center now."

"I don't know if he'll make it through the precipice world," said Kisuke uncertainly, "I don't know how he's still on his feet."

"I want to go home…to the Seireitei," Byakuya said softly, "I can manage the trip back."

Yoruichi smiled at him.

"Always the troublemaker, eh Little Byakuya?"

"You should talk," he muttered affectionately.

"All right then, the Seireitei."

"You're coming with us," Renji said, "I want you to be there. Don't worry about clearances. After what you guys just did…you have to be there."

"Then no more talking," said Kisuke, "Yoruichi, open the gate."

Yoruichi and Ichigo moved over closer to Urahara and Yoruichi began to open the senkaimon. Byakuya held on to Renji and rested his head on the redhead's shoulder. His eyes blinked.

As they opened again, movement registered somewhere near the burning house. It was as though a piece of the flaming wreckage had come to life and was moving towards them. At first, Byakuya wondered if what he was seeing could be real, but he was already moving in Renji's arms, opening his mouth in warning and turning. Renji's face registered surprise, then shock as he realized too late, what was happening. A groaning voice rose out of the fire engulfed Hisoka as he bore down on the two men standing at the edge of the cliff.

Byakuya's hands pushed hard, shoving Renji into Ichigo and sending both to the ground. He tried to step out of the burning servant's path, but felt a seething hand take hold of him and force him over the edge. Then they were falling together, fire lighting the air around them. Hisoka's eyes found Byakuya's and he loosed his last words.

"He's mine!"

Byakuya's body struck leafy branches that stuck out from the edge of the cliff, slowing him and tearing him away from his dying captor. He grabbed wildly and slowed his fall, then crashed into another set of branches that tore at his clothes and broke beneath him, send him crashing down into icy cold water.

He went numb for a moment as the water closed over him and in the back of his mind, he realized that he had fallen so fast that he hadn't heard Renji react to what had happened. He had a flash image of looking up from under the water and seeing Ichigo sweeping over the edge of the cliff, then he was sinking into the darkness. He had lost the ability to breathe on impact, but he felt his body convulse, trying to inhale. He couldn't control the urge as his mouth and nose drew in water and the ice invaded his veins. He was falling slowly now…sinking down deeper. His mind knew he should be kicking for the surface, but he found he could barely move. One graceful hand extended and he felt another hand wrap around it. There was a pulling sensation and a sudden return of sound, then Byakuya found himself being dragged onto the shore and looking up into the face of Kurosaki Ichigo.

The youth's lips were moving, but Byakuya couldn't hear over the pounding rush of blood speeding through his veins, blazing through the coldness and bringing him back to life.

"Byakuya-san," said Kisuke, finally breaking through, "Yoruichi knocked Renji out and took him through the senkaimon. We didn't want him to see. In his condition, it would have been bad."

Byakuya managed a short nod.

"We can't move you," said Kisuke, "You understand? We can't take the risk. We do this here, now."

He turned to the Ichigo.

"You mind giving me a hand?" he asked.

"What do you want me to do?" the youth asked.

"Keep air going into his lungs and blood moving in his veins. I'll deliver them."

A shock of pain drew an agonized cry from Byakuya and he panted for breath.

"Okay now," said Kisuke in a calm voice, "I'm going to start. I'll tell you everything as we go, Byakuya-san. Look at me."

Byakuya couldn't speak or move very much, but his eyes locked on Kisuke's.

"I'm sending my reiatsu into you. I'm going to heal your internal wounds and stabilize the babies' reiatsu."

Byakuya felt a burning inside as the healing power surged through him and began to attack the flares of pain that seemed to register everywhere. His eyes remained on Kisuke as the shopkeeper frowned and curled his reiatsu around the clusters inside the noble, and he read the condition of each. His voice was garbled when next he spoke, but the words he heard were shattering.

"I only feel one complete soul."

_But there were four…_

And when Byakuya closed his eyes, he could feel the three weak pulses slowing.

_No! Don't…_

"Kisuke," said Ichigo, "he stopped breathing…"

"Then breathe for him."

Byakuya's eyes closed and he sank down into the calm abyss, following the small pulses of life that were beginning to fade away. He centered on them and captured them in his arms, then held them tightly. It was pitch black all around him, so he dared not move. He held the tiny clusters of life and felt tugging on two different directions. There was a weight in his chest and air was forced inside him. Another force was trying to claim the three little lives he held on to. He felt a dark presence and knew that he dared not open his eyes…because no one looked into the face of death and lived.

_Let go, Byakuya-san_, Kisuke's voice told him, _You have to let go of them, or we'll lose you too!_

Byakuya ignored him and held on more tightly as a cold hand touched him and all sensation left his body. He was floating then, still clutching the three, moving up and away from the bodies on the lakeshore. They were both calling out his name, but he was too far away now to answer. Light erupted around him and he felt himself floating higher. The light was warm and comforting. It wrapped around him and the three small lives he held and sent them off to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

_Byakuya… _

_Kuchiki Byakuya…_

Byakuya opened his eyes and found himself lying underneath a sakura tree with petals falling softly all around him. Near him, three small girls with Renji's red hair laughed and gathered pink petals in their tiny hands. They threw the petals into the air and giggled as they floated down over the girls' heads. They noticed that he was awake and ran towards him, all smiles.

"Daddy!" they cried together, "You woke up! You woke up!"

They reached the bemused noble and hugged him from all sides at once. His arms wrapped around them and he could feel that they were somehow still alive…not in the same way that he was…but somehow.

_Byakuya_, said the deep, gentle voice he had heard before, _Welcome._

He saw that someone stood over them and looked up. The person's face was obscured, but he had a strong, lean body and even though his face wasn't visible, Byakuya could feel his smile. It took the noble several stunned moments to realize that he was in the spirit king's garden.

Byakuya pushed himself onto his knees and started to rise, but then a hand came to rest on his shoulder and the king knelt, facing him.

"I don't think I understand what happened," Byakuya said softly, "I…remember that…I fell. I fell and I was hurt badly. Then, I heard Urahara-san say that there was only one complete soul."

He gazed at the three girls who clung to him and smiled up at him.

"So…these are the ones who were lost?" he asked in a choked voice, "These are the ones who couldn't be saved?"

He felt the king's gentle smile touch him again.

_What do you mean? Are you asking me if these girls died? If they had, then the hand of death would have claimed them…and they would have rejoined the endless cycle of rebirth._

"I felt death touch us."

_But although it touched you, you were not his for the taking. Your sacrifice touched me. It was beautiful to watch you protect the ones you love…and so although death reached for you, I intervened. These three souls will not return to your world as your children, but they have another fate. The one who survives has your blood in his veins and so has inherited the will to protect. Just as you reached out to protect these three, he has reached out too. And so these three souls, his sisters, will bind together and return to your world in the form of your son's zanpakutou. And your son, unlike any other shinigami, will be born with a fully formed zanpakutou. He will be the heir to your clan, and, like you, will always seek to protect his own. These three stars will form Sanhoshi, the spirit inside your son's blade. I give you this blade in trust…for him._

Byakuya felt a hilt slide into his hand and looked down. His eyes widened as he studied the blue and gold wrapped hilt, the long, glowing, silvery blade and the three tiny stars etched into the metal at the base of the blade.

_Sanhoshi, three stars…stars that watch over and protect, as is your way. Let this blade comfort you as you return. Let it bind with and protect your son as he wields it against the forces that seek to do harm. Go now. Return to them. And remember my words to you. Our fate may not be the one we wish, but we follow it always with hope and with resolve._

Byakuya stared down at the zanpakutou in his hands. He smiled sadly as he felt the tiny, laughing spirits inside. He looked back at the king one final time.

"Arigato," he said softly, "for letting me hold them before sending them to their fate."

_Child,_ the sweet voice whispered, _you may come here to hold them every night as you sleep. You are always welcome here._

He felt the king move close to him and the touch of soft lips on his forehead, then peaceful sleep wrapped around him and carried him back out of the king's garden, across the dark void between life and death and down onto the cold shore where he heard voices calling to him. He couldn't answer, but gathering himself, he managed to take a deep, shuddering breath. Healing green light blazed around him and he could hear Kisuke give a relieved sigh.

"That's as stable as he's going to get," the shopkeeper said, "Let's get him back to the Seireitei!"

"Kisuke…what's in his hand?"

"Huh? That isn't his…well, bring it. Come on."

As he was lifted, he opened his eyes for just long enough to see the small bundle in Ichigo's arms. The youth smiled down at him and brought the baby boy close.

"Congratulations, Byakuya," Ichigo said softly, "You have son."

He reached out and touched the soft, tiny fingertips for a moment, then nodded to Ichigo in gratitude and closed his eyes again.


	15. Finding the Path

**Chapter 15: Finding the Path**

"Abarai-san," Unohana taichou said softly, "I know you want to reach Kuchiki taichou as soon as possible, but I am concerned for your welfare and the well-being of your unborn children."

"I know," Renji said, blinking back his tears, "but my life partner…my lover…my _best friend_ just lost three of the four babies he was carrying. And not only that, he lost those babies because he was trying to save me! Believe me, I understand the situation. I'm not…n-not going to make myself go into labor. I'll breathe slowly and try to stay calm…but Byakuya needs me with him, and come hell, high water, or even you, I'm going to be there for him!"

The healer looked as though she wanted to argue, but breathed a sigh and nodded.

"Very well, you may go in. Just…be aware that we have kept him under sedation and that although he knows, he may be in shock. It may not be good for him to talk about this right now, while his medical situation is somewhat precarious."

"You mean he's that badly hurt?"

Unohana lowered her eyes.

"The worst damage was to his back. I was able to heal it…but he will require a long period of recovery. He will not be able to walk for a time."

Renji covered his mouth for a moment with one hand, then moved it to brush away another tear, and nodded.

"B-but eventually?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"Yes."

Renji drew a trembling breath.

"Okay…we can handle it. We'll just…he has a personal attendant who can help until I've had my babies and I can help. We'll be okay."

"He does not know how badly his back was hurt. We have him immobilized so that he will not injure himself, but…we will need to explain to him…"

"I'll take care of him."

Unohana nodded and motioned for Renji to move on to Byakuya's room. The redhead took a steadying breath and opened the door. He slipped inside the darkened room and closed the door. Slowly, he made his way to the noble's bedside, then he sat down and slid a hand into Byakuya's. Byakuya shifted sluggishly and his eyes opened and slowly focused, first on the room he was in…then on the man who sat beside him, holding his hand.

"Renji," he mouthed, the name barely sounding.

"Hey," said the redhead, smiling at Byakuya and leaning forward to kiss him on the forehead, "How are you feeling? Are you in any pain?"

Byakuya shook his head slightly and his eyes blinked slowly. His hand tightened on the redhead's and he shivered softly.

"Where is Gia?"

"Ah…she's with Yoruichi at the manor. We…ah…were waiting to tell her anything until I could talk to you."

Byakuya nodded briefly again, then the two fell silent, just looking out the window at the gray sky.

"I already know it's bad, Renji," the noble said quietly, "They wouldn't have put me under the kido field…unless it was serious. So…I want you to tell me…will I walk again?"

"Of course you will," Renji assured him, "You'll need rest…and some extra help for a while, but you are going to make a full recovery. Unohana taichou gave me her word."

Byakuya smiled gratefully.

"That is good news. If you see Urahara Kisuke, please thank him for me. His quick thinking saved our child…and minimized the damage of my injuries."

"I…uh…I saw our baby boy. He's really beautiful, Bya. He looks just like you."

Byakuya lowered his eyes to look down at their joined hands.

"Renji," he whispered, "I'm sorry."

Renji slipped a hand under his chin and lifted the tormented gray eyes to meet his.

"You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for," he said firmly, "You protected me…and the babies I'm carrying…"

Tears rose in the noble's eyes and he blinked them back.

"Just…" he said, then stopped, "Renji, I don't want you to think that…that I…made a choice…between…"

"Oh, kami, no…"

"I didn't. I didn't realize I couldn't get out of the way…"

"I know that."

"Y-you do?" Byakuya asked, relief flooding his eyes.

"Oh, hell yes," Renji said, slipping an arm around his shoulders, "I may look stupid, but I'm not that stupid."

"Renji," Byakuya said, his voice regaining some of its strength, "don't say such things!"

Renji's smiling mouth turned and sought his, and the two exchanged several slow kisses.

"Ren…there's something I have to tell you…about…"

He stopped and took several slow breaths.

"…about?" Renji prompted him.

"About the others…the three…girls."

Tears rose in Renji's eyes.

"They were girls?"

Byakuya nodded, unable to speak for several long minutes while he regained control. Finally, he steeled himself and forced the words out.

"After I fell…and Ichigo pulled me out of the water, I…ah…I stopped breathing. And…I could…feel…that they were leaving, and I didn't want them to go, so I wrapped my arms around them and I held on to them. I…felt this…very cold hand touch us, but…then a light wrapped around all of us…and I went to sleep. And when I woke, we were in the spirit dimension…me and three little girls…"

He stopped and caught his breath.

"They all had…red hair…like you…and my gray eyes. They were three very beautiful baby girls," he went on, sniffling softly, "I knew who they were even before they called me 'Daddy.' "

"Oh, Bya…"

"Then, the spirit king appeared and he told me that he was touched by the sacrifice I made, so he said that although our girls couldn't go back with me…he made them into the spirit of our baby boy's zanpakutou. Sanhoshi…three stars, one for each of our girls."

He broke off and leaned against Renji, letting his head rest on the redhead's shoulder and his tears sink into the soft yukata he wore. He sank deeply into those safe, strong arms and breathed in Renji's masculine scent, feeling calm return as the explanation ended. Renji met his lips for several more slow kisses, then pressed his cheek to the noble's, letting his skin absorb the tears on his lover's strong, proud face.

"So…they're still with us," Renji whispered, stroking his hair, "We haven't lost them."

"No," whispered the noble, "You can feel their presence when you touch his zanpakutou. Our little boy was born with a fully formed zanpakutou."

Renji noticed then the sword that rested on the table next to Byakuya's bed. He lifted it and drew the weapon, staring as he felt a tinkle of laughter and in his mind, he saw three laughing young girls. Tears flooded his eyes and he returned the weapon to its sheath. He held Byakuya tightly as the noble relaxed the control he always seemed to cling so tightly to, and dissolved into tears in his lover's arms. But even releasing the dark emotion, he was nearly silent and he barely moved. And it was all Renji could do to keep holding him close and forcing back his own tears…allowing Byakuya to expel the unbearable pain in his own quiet way. With dizzying slowness, the pain drained away and Byakuya fell silent and still…just resting and breathing in Renji's embrace.

"Bya," Renji said softly, "Would you like them to bring him? Maybe it would help to hold him for a while…"

Byakuya shook his head silently.

"No?" Renji whispered, "All right. He'll be fine until you're ready to see him. They're taking good care of him."

"He's…healthy then?" Byakuya said, barely audibly.

"Oh," said Renji, "Hell yeah…Bya, he's absolutely perfect…perfectly healthy. And…and you never saw such a beautiful little boy…well, except maybe for you…"

"That's…good, Renji."

Byakuya drew a shuddering breath.

"Renji…" he said in a choked voice, "I want you to…I…want you to hold him…for me. Please."

"Hold him? You mean…in here?"

The noble shook his head.

"I…want to sleep. Please, hold our baby while I sleep."

Renji held the dark, troubled eyes as he rose, then leaned over Byakuya and placed a gentle hand on his forehead. He brought his lips to Byakuya's and sent a soft pulse of kido into his body as he kissed him. He watched as his life partner's eyes blinked, then closed.

"Yeah, okay…you get some rest. I'll hold our baby."

He bent once more to give him a final kiss on the forehead, then left the room and walked back to the nursery. Unohana taichou was leaned over the tiny baby boy, tickling his fingertips and smiling widely. She saw Renji and straightened.

"You saw Kuchiki taichou?" she asked calmly.

"Yeah…I talked to him. I told him that it would be a while before he'd be up and around, but that he was going to be all right. We, ah, talked for a bit…and I told him the baby is fine. He was relieved at that. I left him sleeping, but he asked me to come down and spend some time with our boy."

"I think your son will enjoy spending some time with his father," the healer said, nodding.

Renji picked up the wide-eyed, dark haired bundle and let the pale, slender fingers seek his face. He smiled down into the sweet, curious expression and kissed fingers, toes and the almost smiling face.

"Damn, he's beautiful!" Renji sighed, "Just like Byakuya…"

"He does seem to have taken much from Byakuya," agreed Unohana taichou, "but if you look in the light, you will see that his hair, though black, has red highlights."

"Really?" Renji said, lifting the cooing boy and staring intently, "Ah, you're right!"

He cradled the infant in his arms and turned to the healer.

"Unohana taichou, there's something I need to ask you. It's about Byakuya. I asked if he wanted to hold him…but he really didn't. He didn't explain. He just said that he felt like sleeping. So I helped him fall asleep and I came here to hold our baby."

"Yes," agreed the healer, "He also showed the same disinterest when I offered to bring the boy in to him. And when I asked him if the two of you had a name in mind for a boy, he said that you didn't, so you would name him after the two of you had been able to discuss it."

"But…I don't understand, because, I mean…after the dangerous things that happened and how hard the birth was, wouldn't he be _more_ protective? I mean, he doesn't even want to _see_ our little boy."

"His behavior actually does make sense, considering what he has been through. You see, Byakuya blames himself for the fate of the three babies who were lost…and when it comes to caring for his surviving baby, he doesn't trust himself."

"What?" said Renji, looking confused, "You mean he thinks he's going to make a mistake?"

"Yes…or that the baby will be hurt while in his care. It is a common condition that occurs in these situations."

"Well…so what do I do to help him?"

The healer smiled.

"You only need to show your life partner love and affection…and let him know that _you_ trust him with your baby. Much of his recovery will depend on Kuchiki taichou, himself. I will, of course, provide what assistance I am able. He will have the support he needs."

Renji let out a worried breath and nodded.

"Thank you, Unohana taichou. I will do my best to reassure him."

The healer thought for a moment.

"Abarai-san," she said thoughtfully, "perhaps it is time to allow Abarai-Kuchiki Gia to see him."

"You think that will help?" Renji asked.

"I think it might."

"Well…I don't have any idea what else to do. He's pretty complicated sometimes…"

Unohana smiled and nodded.

"Which is the reason that you are needed to smooth the path for him."

Renji chuckled nervously.

"Smooth the path, huh? I usually function better when I'm told to bust something, not smooth it."

"Even so," said the healer bracingly, "you are the one most likely to help Kuchiki taichou find his way. As complicated as he is, you have been inside his mind…inside his own body."

Renji sighed.

"Wait a sec…Unohana taichou…do you think it would help for him to switch with me?" he asked softly.

"Hmmm," said the healer, "If you had already delivered your babies, I would say perhaps so, but I think it would be very difficult for Kuchiki taichou to endure a switch now. And in any case, he is in somewhat of a fragile, physical state. The switching would be hard on his body as well. I think we should not risk it."

She placed a hand on the redhead's shoulder and looked up into the gentle, worried brown eyes.

"Bring Gia…sit with him…let him set the pace of things…and listen. If you do these things, you will be successful in helping him find his way through. Despite his current vulnerability, Kuchiki taichou is a man of great strength, as you, yourself have witnessed."

"Yeah…" breathed Renji, "You don't have to tell me that. Sometimes, though, I wish he didn't have to always need that strength, that he could relax and breathe easier, like the rest of us."

Unohana giggled softly. Renji tilted his head and frowned curiously.

"What?" he said, scratching the back of his neck absently.

"Well, Abarai-san," the fourth division taichou said, smiling, "That sounds very funny coming from a man about to deliver sextuplets…"

Renji couldn't help but break into a soft laugh, himself.

"Oh…yeah, I guess it is…"


	16. Trust

**Chapter 16: Trust**

Byakuya waited by the open window in his hospital room as Renji completed the discharge paperwork and returned with Unohana taichou. He didn't look up as they entered, but continued to study the blue sky, to breathe the fresh air and to wish he was walking back down the street to the sixth division.

"Hey," said Renji, pulling him out of his reverie, "hold this, will you?"

The next thing he knew, he was holding a little wrapped bundle and looking down into curious wide gray eyes. Tiny fingers reached up out of the bundle to touch his lips and nose.

"Renji…I don't…"

"Well, I can't carry him, because I'm going to be pushing you back to Kuchiki Manor."

"Absolutely not," Byakuya said firmly, "Renji, you are going to be having your babies soon. You shouldn't be doing anything like that!"

"Actually," said Unohana taichou, "It is fine. I have given you a wheelchair that is extremely easy to push, so that you and Renji can enjoy walks when you get home. I am also sending recommendations to your family healers for your physical therapy. We will have you on your feet again in no time, Kuchiki taichou."

"Unohana taichou," Byakuya said softly, "Are you certain that our baby should be leaving so soon after his birth? He was born prematurely and under less than ideal circumstances…"

"I assure you, your little boy is perfectly healthy, Kuchiki taichou. It will be good for him to be out of here and taking walks with you and Renji. I have fully briefed Renji on his care needs and have passed the information on to the staff at your manor.

"No one will be attending our son but Renji and Rukia. There will be no other staff assistance needed."

"But I had thought that you had an attendant for him…"

"No," said Byakuya firmly, "I sent word to have her reassigned."

"What?" said Renji, "You didn't tell me…"

"Gomen nasai, I meant to, but didn't have a chance. I only sent word to Kuchiki Manor this morning."

"But, Byakuya…we talked about this. We're all in the military. We need someone to…"

"I know that," Byakuya said, looking down at their son, "and maybe…maybe later, when we are no longer on leave…but not now. Renji…I…trusted Hisoka and…look what happened…"

Renji's eyes went wide with realization and he pulled a chair up next to the wheelchair and sat down.

"So that's what this is about. It's about him."

"It's about me trusting someone I shouldn't have…" Byakuya said, his voice catching, "And because I did, we were taken and…"

"Shh…stop," Renji said, leaning forward and wrapping an arm around him, "If you don't want to trust outsiders…house staff, fine. We'll only allow family to be around him."

"But what about the rest of the staff?" Byakuya went on, "I thought I could trust all of them, but now I don't know who might be the next to…"

"Listen to me," Renji said firmly, "Hisoka was a creep. The ones still working for us are good people who have worked for your family since you were a kid! What are you going to do…fire all of them? Byakuya…you're just…anxious, okay? Don't start thinking everyone is going to be like him. Please. Our staff is really great. They've been really good to us. Don't take this out on the ones who remained loyal."

Byakuya closed his eyes, swallowed hard and nodded briefly.

"I am sorry," he said quietly, "It's just that…if someone tried to…to take him, I can't…even…"

Look at me," Renji said, taking the noble's face in his hands, "No one is going to touch our son. Trust me. Nothing bad is going to happen to him. We won't let it."

Byakuya let out a hissing breath.

"Like I could be of any use in protecting him. If something did happen, I would be useless…"

"Stop that," Renji said firmly, "That isn't true. Your condition is temporary…and you will be on your feet again soon, just like Unohana taichou said. Now, hang on to him and let's go home."

He turned the wheelchair towards the door, effectively cutting off any reply. Byakuya fell silent, holding the baby boy in his arms and staring down at him. He heard people talking to him as they passed out of the fourth division and down the streets in the direction of home, but left Renji to reply as he focused on the infant to the exclusion of everything else. The baby boy stared back at him with calm eyes, gurgling softly and reaching up to explore his face with tiny questing fingers.

"He looks so much like you," Renji commented, pushing the wheelchair along the busy sidewalk, "We still have to think of a name for the poor kid. We should have done that already, but…"

"Perhaps Gia will help us think of one that fits," Byakuya suggested.

"Yeah," said Renji, "I was thinking the same thing.

He turned the last corner and pushed the wheelchair through the entry gates at the manor, following the walkway to the front door, then moving inside and closing the door behind them. The housekeeper appeared, bowing and then smiling at the sight of the baby in Byakuya's arms.

"He's beautiful," she murmured, "and he favors you, Kuchiki-sama."

"Arigato," Byakuya said quietly.

He swallowed hard.

"W-would you…like to hold him for a moment?" he asked.

Renji's eyes widened in surprise, then he smiled and lifted the baby out of Byakuya's arms, setting him gently in the housekeeper's. The old woman's smile widened and her eyes grew soft and gentle.

"Such a lovely boy…so precious, Kuchiki-sama. Arigato…for letting me hold him!"

She handed the infant back to Byakuya and watched as Renji pushed the wheelchair through the room and onto the outer walkway.

"That must not have been easy," commented Renji, "but I'm glad you did it. We can't let ourselves be afraid of our staff just because one lunatic managed to take advantage of our trust."

"You're right, of course, Renji. Matsuko-san served my father and his father before that. She has been at the manor for over a hundred years. If I cannot trust her, of all people, then who can I trust?" Byakuya said in a low voice, "Hisoka was a newer hire. I was impressed with his ability to fix nearly anything, but I did not know him as I know the rest of the staff."

"And I came back to the manor and checked the records while you were in the healing center," said Renji, "There was nothing in his records that even hinted at him being capable of such things. Really, Byakuya, there wasn't anything we could have done."

"I…I know that…in my head, but…"

"But you have been through a really hard time," Renji said, moving around to the front of the wheelchair, "It will get easier. I promise."

He took the infant from Byakuya as Rukia flash stepped across the gardens and slid to a stop in front of them.

"Nii-sama!" she said, staring, "Oh, Nii-sama, he is precious! He looks just like you!"

Her exclamations brought Gia out of her bedroom and flash stepping down the walkway to join them.

"Daddy Bya! Daddy Bya…and our baby!" she laughed, stopping short of them and clasping her hands together.

Byakuya started to greet her, but felt a sudden swell of sickness overtake him. He handed the baby quickly to Rukia.

"R-renji, I'm not well…I…"

Noting his distress, the redhead quickly turned the wheelchair through their bedroom and into the bathroom, then helped him out of the chair and held him as he emptied his stomach and fell back against his spouse, looking as white as a ghost.

"Easy," Renji said, holding Byakuya against him and stroking the sleek, black hair, "I have you. And don't worry. I know you feel like hell, but Unohana taichou said that you might be sick some after your delivery. Your body has been under a lot of stress. Now, just try to relax and I'll put you to bed."

"What about our son?" Byakuya asked quickly.

"Don't worry," Renji said, smiling, "Rukia and Gia are feeding him and putting him down for a nap. He is fine. I'll bring him back later. I want you to get some rest first."

He started to help the noble back into the wheelchair, but stopped as Byakuya turned back and threw up again.

"Renji," said Rukia's voice from inside the bedroom, "Is he okay?"

"He's pretty sick," Renji said, holding Byakuya against him, "Could you go and get Hanatarou for us? Unohana taichou said that we could have him come and stay for a few days if Byakuya became ill after being released."

"I'll be right back with him," Rukia promised.

"Renji," Byakuya said, pulling away, "You should go and check on the children. I'll be fine. I…"

"It's okay," Renji told him, "I saw Matsuko going into the nursery to help. The baby will be fine. But we need to get you into bed. I'm going to lift you, okay?"

"No…you aren't supposed to do that, Renji. No heavy lifting, remember?"

Renji sighed and shook his head.

"You hardly weigh anything, anyway…" he muttered.

But instead of trying to carry the noble, he helped Byakuya back into the wheelchair and took him back to the bed. He helped the noble into bed, then sat beside him for a moment, breathing somewhat heavily.

"Are you all right?" Byakuya asked quickly, placing a hand on Renji's distended abdomen.

"I'm fine," Renji laughed placatingly, "I just got a little out of breath, but I'm okay, really, Byakuya. Don't worry so much…"

"Renji, you can't care for me, a new baby and yourself. We need help."

"We have plenty of help," Renji insisted, "Rukia will be back soon and she is bringing Hanatarou. Stop fretting so much. Relax and take a few breaths. I'm going to go and make some tea for us, okay?"

Byakuya sighed and settled back against the pillows. One hand slipped down onto his abdomen and he frowned, feeling the emptiness inside that had refused to leave ever since the birth of his son.

_It's odd. He's here…and I know the others are safe within his zanpakutou. But I feel so…empty inside. What is this feeling? What is wrong with me?_

He turned his head to look out the garden doors. The sun shone brightly and he could smell the scents of flowers and sakura carried on the breeze that came in through the door. He wanted to get up and clear his head by walking in the gardens, by following the winding trail out and up the long hill to the waterfall…to sit quietly under the sakura trees, watching the petals falling. But instead, he lay in his bed, aching and empty. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, and within a few minutes was dozing. But just as sleep reached for him, Byakuya came awake with a start.

_What was that? I felt something…something like…_

"Hey, why are you still awake?" Renji admonished him gently, "I thought for sure you would be sleeping by the time I got back. Have some tea. Hanatarou will be down in a few minutes. He's in with the baby…just looking in."

Byakuya accepted the tea wordlessly and stared out the garden doors intently.

_I don't know what that was…or if anything was there at all. It was so brief, no more than a momentary flicker…_

Hanatarou stepped into the room, pulling him out of his thoughts for several minutes as he was carefully examined.

"Your body is being affected by the stress of all that has happened…the unexpected multiple pregnancy, the stresses and injuries. I think it would be best to help you fall into a deep sleep for a time. This will relax your body and give your mind a break from the emotions."

"Very well," said Byakuya, nodding in acceptance, "but before you do that, I need to ask you…is it normal for one in my condition to feel odd reiatsu flutters…almost as though sensing things, but then nothing is there."

"What did you think you sensed?" asked Renji.

Byakuya dropped his gaze for a moment, thinking, then forced it out.

"I…I'm not sure. It was almost like the feeling you get when someone is watching you. It was odd…familiar."

"It was probably just memory echoes in your own body. I wouldn't be surprised at that. That can be a result of stress and lack of proper, deep sleep," said Hanatarou.

"All right, then," said Renji, "You get some sleep and I'll go and…"

"Renji," said Byakuya, looking up at him, "Will you stay for a while?"

"Of course," the redhead said, moving over to the other side of the bed and lying down.

He watched quietly as Hanatarou sent his reiatsu into the noble's body, making the muscles relax and sending a soft, sleepy haze over Byakuya's mind. Despite all of their worries, he found himself settling into Renji's arms and focusing on the redhead's warmth and closeness. He rested his head on the redhead's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"Arigato, Renji," he said, letting his hand slide down beneath his life partner's clothing.

He rested his hand on Renji's swollen abdomen and let the feeling of the babies' reiatsu wash over his senses.

_Soon, now. It will be soon…_

The promise of the arrival of Renji's babies drew away the last of the tension and Byakuya slowly surrendered to sleep. Renji held him close, waiting until he had fallen into a deep sleep, then gently pulling free and slipping out of the room. He found the lead guard and took him aside.

"I wanted to warn you. Byakuya sensed an odd reiatsu flutter around here somewhere. It may be nothing, but after what we've all been through, we need to be really careful. I want you to double the guard staff patrolling the manor…and have a personal guard assigned to each of us at all times. Until we know what it was that Byakuya sensed, we need to be cautious."

"Hai," said the guard, and he flash stepped away, leaving Renji standing alone in the gardens.

He sighed softly, sad inside that so much had happened that they didn't feel safe in their own home.

_Of course, this may be nothing. But knowing the sharpness of Byakuya's senses…even if he doesn't completely trust himself on this, I'm not taking any chances._

He let his hand drop down to rest on his abdomen and gently brushed his reiatsu against each he sensed there.

_It's almost time. I can feel it. The reiatsu clusters are fully matured. I wonder what it will be like when they are born. Maybe it will help Byakuya to focus on that. We've been looking forward to it…Yeah…When the babies get here, everything will settle down and get comfortable again._

Then, he thought about the fact of having eight children and found himself laughing.

_Settle down? Did I actually think for a moment that our life would settle down? What was I thinking?_

He walked back into the bedroom, climbed into bed next to Byakuya and wrapped his body around his spouse's.

_It may not be settled at all…but I know we'll be happy._

"Aishiteru yo, Bya," he whispered, closing his eyes.


	17. The Ladies' Man

**Chapter 17: The Ladies' Man**

Gia scampered down the hallway and through the open garden doors into her fathers' bedroom. She stopped short of the bed, her eyes intent on Byakuya as he held Gia's baby brother and fed him from a bottle. She moved more slowly towards the bed and when Byakuya nodded in assent, joined the noble.

"Would you like to help me feed your brother?" Byakuya asked her.

The baby boy turned his head to look at his sister and reached out a hand in her direction.

"You see," Byakuya said, "He wants you to hold him. Sit against the pillows there and I will put him in your lap."

Gia smiled widely as she sat cross-legged and Byakuya set the baby carefully in her arms. He then handed her the bottle and watched as she fed him, admiring the affectionate look in the girl's eyes as she gazed happily down at her brother.

"So," said Byakuya, "It has been several days and Renji and I are hard pressed to come up with a name for our son. Have you thought of anything?"

"Well," Gia said, "I noticed that every time a girl walks by his room, he reaches out and gets all noisy. I think he already likes girls! So…that made me think of that day when you and Daddy Ren told me about Orion."

"Ah…" said Byakuya, an unbidden smile finding its way onto his lips, "That seems like such a long time ago…but it was very funny."

"Daddy Ren likes to make funny jokes. I notice that when he does that…its one of the only times I see you really smile…like you're really happy."

She looked down into her brother's eyes.

"But since we lost some of our babies, Daddy Ren just mostly looks worried…and you look sad."

Byakuya sighed softly.

"Some sadness is to be expected," he said, reaching down to stroke his son's fingertips. Losses are always very difficult…and it is sometimes hard to find our way back from that. But Renji and I are helping each other. He has been a great comfort to me, even though his heart was as broken as mine when we lost our baby girls."

Gia nodded.

"I cried and cried…but I was happy that my brother lived…and that my sisters would be in his zanpakutou. But I think the worst thing was when I found Daddy Ren crying by the waterfall. He didn't know I was there."

Byakuya nodded.

"He isn't terribly good at sensing reiatsu. I'm sorry that he was so sad…"

Gia met the noble's eyes questioningly.

"Daddy Bya…he said that it was his fault. He said that he was too slow seeing what was happened…that he is a warrior and he should have been able to protect you…that protecting you is his most important job and he failed to do that. Then he cried harder and whispered that he felt like part of him died when it happened."

"Child…" whispered Byakuya, "I don't expect Renji had any idea that you were there…or he would not have said such a thing."

"But why would he think that, Daddy Bya?" the girl asked, "Daddy Ren loves us so much that there is nothing he wouldn't do to protect us. But no one is perfect…and Daddy Ren had babies too…even more babies…and maybe even if he had been faster, then maybe more of our babies could have been lost."

Byakuya nodded.

"It was a very dangerous situation," he explained, "At the angle which we were standing, I could see our enemy approaching and Renji could not. He was in no way responsible for what happened. I think that deep down, he knows that…but he wishes there had been something he could have done and so he is hard on himself. But try not to worry. Both Renji and I are doing much better now that our baby and I are here at home. But, getting back to my question…did you say you had a name for our baby?"

"I think so," said the girl, "Because he likes girls, I think we should call him Orion."

"After the Orion in the myth?" Byakuya said, smiling, "That myth must have really resonated with you."

"It's the last time we were all so happy and laughing together," Gia said softly, "I want us to be happy again."

Byakuya placed an arm around the girl's shoulders and kissed her on the forehead.

"We will be," he told her quietly, "I promise you that happy times like that will return. I remember when my wife, Hisana died…and I thought that I would never know love again…that I would never have children. And yet, Renji and I found each other...and our home is about to be filled with children."

"That will be noisy," commented Gia, "He already is very noisy…and Daddy Ren will have six more babies that will make more noise…but I like it noisy. The manor used to be a very quiet place and the servants used to not smile so much."

"But children add much to a household," Byakuya said, nodding, "much that is noisy, but much that is also very good. I will choose noisy and filled with love any day."

"Me too," said Gia, leaning against him and gazing down into her brother's eyes.

"So…when Renji comes home from his check up, we will ask him what he thinks of calling our boy, Orion."

The infant grabbed Byakuya's finger and squeezed tightly. Gia giggled.

"I think that means he likes it," she said, tickling the infant under the chin.

"I think that you are right," Byakuya said, nodding in agreement.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So…" said Renji, squirming slightly where he sat on the examination table, "How are they doing?"

Unohana taichou smiled at him and wrote several notes on his medical chart.

"These babies are in perfect health and should be born any day. I have stabilized your reiatsu…and that's the last time I should have to before your babies are born. I have also reduced your reiatsu to a lower level…enough to serve the needs of your babies, but you must refrain from any fighting or use of powers until after the delivery."

"Ah…wow," Renji said, panting slightly as the realization swept over him, leaving him feeling somewhat weak-kneed, "So this is really gonna happen…yeah…"

"Would you like to rest a bit before going home?" the healer asked, "You look rather out of breath…understandable with the pressure inside your torso."

Renji shook his head firmly and blushed as Unohana taichou helped him to his feet. She steadied him as he teetered for a moment.

"Man…I feel…top heavy…and out of breath…and…shit, I don't know what else!" he exclaimed.

"Feel happy," said the healer, smiling, "You and Byakuya are about to be blessed six more times."

"Yeah…thanks," Renji said, blinking as his mind wrapped itself around the inevitability.

The healer studied him quietly for a moment.

"How is Kuchiki taichou coping?" she asked.

Renji's smile faded slightly.

"He seems all right. It was really hard those first few days after…but once Gia got hold of him, we got him on his feet. He's still pretty unsteady…and he complains that he walks 'gracelessly' like a drunken man. But he is actually much better than he was. I have to thank Gia for that. Kami knows, I've been useless enough."

The healer's eyes softened.

"Abarai-san," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "We have discussed this many times. There was nothing you could have done. And if you had interfered, you would have only fallen as well…and all of your babies would have been in peril. You must let this go. Byakuya already has. He was there and knows better than anyone what happened. He said that, speaking from the standpoint of a trained taichou, there is no way _anyone_ could have prevented what happened."

Renji sighed and nodded.

"My head knows that," he said softly, "My heart's a bit slower to believe that."

Unohana smiled sadly.

"We always want to believe we could have done better…but sometimes…some things simply cannot be prevented."

The healer's hand dropped to his abdomen for a moment.

"Keep walking several times every day. That might help in getting things started. The reiatsu clusters are fully formed and ready. I hope you and Byakuya have six names picked out…more if you figure they could be boys or girls."

"Yeah," Renji laughed, "We have Gia working on it…but we haven't named the one we have yet."

He looked down at the floor, then back up at the healer.

"It's hard for him. He had a hard time all the way through. I had things much easier, even having more babies in me. I just want him to be happy. But that will take time…and love."

"He has plenty of that," Unohana taichou assured him, "And now, we are done, so you can go home and see if you can't name that little boy so that we can have something to call him when he comes in for his next check up."

"We will," Renji promised as he turned to leave, "We can work on that over dinner…if these guys left me enough room in there for a little food!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"You came really far today!" said Gia, smiling as Byakuya reached the waterfall and dropped down beneath a sakura tree, brushing the sweaty strands of hair out of his eyes, "This is the farthest yet!"

"You are right," Byakuya said breathlessly, "I just need a few breaths before we walk back."

"And then we'll have dinner and tell Daddy Ren about calling our baby Orion."

"Yes…I think he will be surprised. Maybe he will even laugh a bit. That would be…a relief."

Gia knelt quietly next to the noble, gazing out over the waterfall and breathing in the misty air.

"I love this waterfall," she sighed, "It makes the top of the waterfall dreamy…like what happens here isn't really real. I come here and imagine lots of things…"

"I used to as well…when I was a child," Byakuya told the girl, "My father often brought me here. He used to tell me stories…and I would sit here in the mist and see them happening before my very young eyes."

"Hey!" exclaimed the girl, "That's what _I_ do too!"

"Yes," Byakuya agreed, "You have a lovely imagination, Gia."

The girl gave him a grin that reminded the wistful noble of Renji.

"Well…seeing as you're out of breath and I want a story, I think that I will tell the story today."

"Very well, then," said Byakuya, leaning back against the tree, "Go on."

"Well," the girl said, shifting into storyteller mode…straightening and using an expression that made her look somewhat like Byakuya imagined he looked when he told stories, "There are two stories of how Orion died. The first is that Orion was filled with too much pride…and just like he imagined he could have any girlfriend he wanted, being a great hunter, he imagined that he could kill any creature he hunted. But he wasn't cautious about saying this…and his boast reached Artemis's ears and infuriated her. Despite being a hunter herself, Artemis had respect for all life…and she despised men with raging arrogance…"

"Where did you hear someone say that?" asked Byakuya, furrowing his brow, "Raging arrogance?"

"You said that Daddy Ren should beware of it once when he was boasting about how his ban kai defeated yours once."

"Hmmm…" said Byakuya, "Did I really say that?"

The girl nodded firmly.

"I heard it myself…and Daddy Ren laughed about it all the time after that. He said that if anything was raging, it was…"

"That is enough," Byakuya cautioned her, making her giggle, "Some things Renji says, you should not repeat."

"Okay…so Artemis did not like him having too much pride and threatening all of the world's creatures like that. So she sent a scorpion to kill him. They engaged in a mighty battle that was so fierce that it caught the attention of Zeus, himself! And after Orion was killed by the scorpion, Zeus honored both by sending them up into the stars, making them into constellations. Orion still flees the skies overhead when the scorpion rises!"

"That was very good," Byakuya said, smiling, "And I think I am rested enough to begin walking back. You can tell me the second myth on the way."

Gia nodded and took her place alongside him, talking animatedly and distracting the noble from his discomfort as he worked his way back along the path.

Neither saw or sensed the one who followed them…

XXXXXXXXX

"Hey!" said Renji, smiling and walking slowly across the garden, carrying the baby, "I was wondering where you two went off to. You must have gotten all of the way to the waterfall today."

Byakuya nodded.

"Gia is very good at keeping me distracted. I shall have to take her to work with me when I return."

"Nah," said Renji, "You'll have me to nudge you along. It looks like these guys will be born any day now…then after we get them settled, we can talk about going back to work."

"Agreed, Byakuya said, kissing him and reaching down to allow the baby boy's hand to wrap around his finger.

"Daddy Ren," said Gia excitedly, "We thought of a name for our baby!"

"Oh?" Renji said, grinning, "Not one of those fancypants names like Cuthbert or Botherfurd, I hope…"

"No, nothing like that!" Gia laughed, "We want to call him Orion!"

Renji couldn't help but laugh.

"Af…After the uh…the guy who wanted to…"

"Renji!" said Byakuya warningly.

"The guy who wanted to _date_ every girl he ever met and chased those sisters until they ended up stuck in the stars?"

"Well…our baby likes girls, but we'll have to teach him to be more respectful of the girls he likes."

"Yeah…and we should warn him to date one at a time!" Renji chuckled.

"So do you like it?" the girl asked hopefully.

Renji glanced at Byakuya, who gave an affirmative nod.

"Okay," the redhead said, "Orion the ladies' man it is!"

He winked at the boy and smiled as Orion gurgled.

"Oh yeah," he said, leaning down to kiss the boy, "The girls are doomed, "He will be one vicious lady killer!"

"A lady killer who will show the utmost respect for all women," Byakuya said, narrowing his eyes.

The family reteated then to the patio table and the dinner that had been set out for them.

And as they ate, red and golden eyes watched from just outside the gate…

"Renji-san…" a grating voice whispered, "You will die for bringing death to me…and then you will be mine…forever…"


	18. Six Stars

**Chapter 18: Six Stars**

Renji stirred uncomfortably in his sleep, rousing a deeply sleeping Byakuya. The noble shifted on the red-haired shinigami's chest and the hand that rested on his distended abdomen rubbed it gently.

"Are you all right?" Byakuya asked softly.

"Hn…" Renji mumbled, "Just…ah…keep doin' that…"

Byakuya released a touch of reiatsu and continued to rub his spouse's belly as Renji tried to fall back asleep. It seemed to work, and Byakuya began to drift off, but several minutes later, the noble's gray eyes opened again and he lifted his head, looking around questioningly.

"Renji…" he said, nudging the redhead.

"Aw…fuck…please don't wake me up now…." Renji groaned, "not…awake…"

"Renji…do you smell smoke?" he asked, more urgently.

Renji's eyes opened and he sat up, one hand on his abdomen.

"Yeah…" he said, looking around the darkness, "And our garden doors weren't closed when we went to sleep…"

Byakuya slipped out of bed and walked gingerly to the garden door. The smell of smoke grew stronger. He turned the door handle and found that the door was locked. He tried to unlock it, but found a heavy kido seal on it.

"What…?"

He turned back and saw that Renji was on his feet.

"I'll get Gia. You get Orion," the redhead said shortly.

They heard a sharp squeal down the hall, then the groaning of wood and a young girl's scream.

"Gia!" cried Byakuya, breaking into a flash step and nearly falling.

Renji wrapped an arm around his waist and the two leaned against each other as they made their way down the hall. As they drew near the baby's room, Gia crawled out on her hands and knees, carrying Orion in a sling around her body. Byakuya and Renji rushed to her side as flames rose up in front of them. Orion squealed fitfully and began to cough. Gia stifled a cough and followed as her fathers led her back down the hallway and into their bedroom.

"I'll try to break through the doors to the outside!" Byakuya said, raising his hands and focusing deeply.

He sent a kido blast into the doors. The doors rattled and the glass hummed, but did not break. He struck at it a second time, but it remained locked and unbroken.

"Damn it!" swore Renji, "Come on! The fire's catching up with us!"

Byakuya slammed the inner door and showed Gia how to stuff wet towels under at the base to keep the smoke out. Renji huddled close to Gia and Orion, holding his abdomen and groaning uncomfortably.

"Ah…Bya…" he moaned.

"What's wrong?" asked Gia, wide-eyed, "Is it the babies?"

"Ah…hah…I uh…I…think so. I think…it's ah…time…ah, shit…"

"Darn," Gia corrected him.

"No…" groaned Renji, "I feel like shit…it's shit!"

"Actually, it's babies," the girl went on.

She moved closer to the redhead and put her hands on his belly, rubbing gently and releasing healing energy into the area as she had seen Byakuya do. Orion coughed once, then gurgled and babbled excitedly as Gia took Renji's hand and held it tightly.

"Daddy Bya will get us out of here," she said reassuringly.

Byakuya took Senbonzakura from the sword stand and crawled back to them.

"Everyone stay down," he directed them, raising a heavy shield around them.

He lifted the sword and let it fall. Renji paled and covered Gia and the baby with his body.

"Oh…!" he gasped, "Oh…he's not…he's…he's crazy! You can't release a…"

"Gokei…" said Byakuya, "Senbonzakura…Kageyoshi…"

"Oh…" hissed Renji, holding the two children tightly and feeling a jolt of pain in his belly, "Oh kami…stay down!"

A sphere of spinning petals enclosed the room, making it quake around them. Gia screamed and Orion howled as Renji wedged them down between the bed and his own body. He waited breathlessly as Byakuya closed his eyes and released the sword's power. The room shook wildly and the children screamed. Renji tried to soothe them as the petals exploded outward, demolishing the room and leaving them crouching on the floor on a raised platform that now stood open to the night. The other rooms of the manor were in flames and servants ran towards them, helping them out of the ruins of their room and quickly tending to their minor cuts and scrapes.

"Is everyone all right?" Byakuya asked quickly, looking over the crying children and a soundly shaken Renji.

"I'm okay," the redhead said, shivering, "and I think the kids are just scared. But-ahh!"

"Renji?"

He moved quickly to the redhead's side and eased him onto his back.

"I'll go for a healer!" said the head of security.

"No," said Byakuya quickly, "You are to send another. Start right away on finding out who set this fire! It was no accident. We were locked in!"

"Hai, sir!"

"Oh…augh, Bya," moaned Renji, closing his eyes, "I really think it's time. Damn!"

"Don't talk that way around our daughter," Byakuya said, his eyes betraying affection as he spoke, "Gia, hold Orion and hold Renji's other hand."

"Okay, Daddy Bya!" the girl said, nodding.

She curled a hand into the redhead's.

"It will be all right," she reassured Renji.

"Ah…thanks," said Renji, "I uh, I'm glad to hear that. But, Byakuya, do you know what you're doing? Shouldn't we wait for a healer?"

"Well," said Byakuya calmly, "I'm no healer, but I do think you won't wait for one. Always the impatient one, ne, Renji?"

"Augh, shut up!" the redhead groaned, "I'm s'posed to be in the healing center, not lying out here."

Byakuya gently stroked his abdomen and looked down into his eyes reassuringly.

"Come now, what better place to bring our children into the world than this lovely garden, and under the stars, too."

"Ah! Ah, I don't…ow!" Renji complained, "It feels like a mule keeps kicking me in the stomach!"

"Calm down and slow your breathing," Byakuya said, leaning closer and rubbing circles on the redhead's belly.

Renji closed his eyes and seemed to settle, but then gave a discontented grunt and winced.

"Ow! Fuck, that hurts!"

"Daddy Ren!"

"Sorry!" Renji panted, "Don't mean to. Just, ah, can't help it!"

"It's all right," Byakuya said quietly, "Gia will just cover her ears."

"Oh, kami, don't fucking make me laugh right now, Bya!"

"Renji!" Byakuya said sternly.

"Daddy Ren!" objected Gia, "You didn't give me time to cover my ears!"

Byakuya looked away for a moment as the housekeeper settled down next to him.

"A healing team is coming to help, but they have to wait until a path is cleared through the entrance to the manor. It's been badly damaged. I will be happy to help you, sir. I have delivered a few babies before. Not from a male, but I have experience with females."

"Arigato. I would like you to gather some blankets…small ones if possible. For the babies. I'm going to start delivering them."

"Ah…Bya, do you think you…ought to?" Renji panted, his chest heaving.

He let out a grunt.

"OW!" he snapped, then he looked at Gia.

The girl smiled and covered her ears.

"Damn, that fucking HURTS!" Renji yelled.

Gia narrowed her eyes and uncovered her ears.

"I heard that," she said, reprovingly.

"AUGH! OW!" yelled Renji.

"Just take some slow, deep breaths. Gia, breathe with Renji. Count slowly to eight on each inhale and again on each exhale."

"Okay, Daddy Bya!"

Byakuya laid a blanket over the redhead's lower body and opened his yukata, baring his enlarged abdomen. Gia giggled and almost forgot to breathe.

"Sh-shut up, you!" Renji snapped, "And breathe like he told us to!"

"B-but your belly is so big!" laughed the girl, "I never saw a boy with a big belly like that unless he was fat!"

"HEY!" yelled Renji, then he winced, "OW!"

"Breathe," Gia instructed him, "like this."

The two continued breathing together as Byakuya and the housekeeper leaned over Renji's abdomen, extending their hands and providing healing reiatsu. As they did, the redhead's belly began to glow a soft white.

"The first one is coming," Byakuya said, staring and gathering the emerging reiatsu.

He captured the cluster of reiatsu in his hands and set it down on a blanket. All of them watched in wonder as the ball of light slowly dimmed and formed itself into the shape of a small baby girl.

"A girl! It's a girl!" shouted Gia.

"Hey, not…so loud," panted Renji.

"It's time to change his breathing," Byakuya told Gia, "It's three panting breaths and one long, three panting breaths and one long."

"Okay, Daddy Bya!"

Byakuya leaned over Renji's abdomen again as the housekeeper gently wrapped the squalling baby girl in a blanket and held her close. She motioned several other house staff over to help. Orion looked up at his wailing sister and squawked loudly. The newborn girl looked down at the baby in Gia's arms and stopped crying.

"Look!" Gia exclaimed, "Orion made her stop crying!"

"Oh…good," panted Renji, "Now, if he can just make me stop hurt…OW, shit!"

"Daddy Ren!"

"I know!" Renji yelled, "Sorry!"

A second cluster of white reiatsu slowly rose out of Renji's abdomen and settled into Byakuya's hands. He watched closely as the reiatsu solidified into a second baby.

"Another girl," he announced, gazing down into the infant's red-brown eyes, "And another redhead."

"So far, they both look like Daddy Ren!" announced Gia.

"Here comes another," Byakuya said, handing the second baby to an attendant.

He turned back and delivered the next as Renji and Gia breathed together.

"Kami, Bya," Renji moaned, "Is this ever going to be over?"

"Shh, relax, Renji," Byakuya said soothingly, "We're halfway there. Another baby girl."

Gia caught her breath.

"Red hair again, but Daddy Bya's eyes!" she exclaimed.

Byakuya hastily handed off the third baby as the fourth immediately began to emerge.

"Holy shit!" Renji hissed, "They're practically falling out of me now!"

He lifted himself onto his elbows, watching with wide eyes as a fourth baby girl emerged from his belly.

"Is it hurting less now?" Byakuya asked, looking up as he handed the fourth baby to an attendant.

"Yeah, thanks," Renji said, sinking back down and looking relieved and tired.

"Don't slack off," Byakuya warned him, "Here comes the next."

"It's a…it's a…" squealed Gia, "It's another baby girl!"

"Another?" Renji said, surprised, "Am I going to at least have one boy?"

"No," Gia announced as the fifth baby was wrapped in a blanket and handed to a waiting attendant, "because if you have one more, Orion will have seven sisters to chase around!"

Byakuya smiled.

"We will see, won't we," he said, leaning over Renji again.

Slowly, the last reiatsu cluster rose out of Renji's body, leaving the exhausted redhead sighing in relief.

"Oh kami…oh…I am…so glad that's over," he panted as Gia washed his face with a cool, wet cloth, "I swear, I will never, ever go to another council meeting with you, Byakuya. I am soooo never doing this again!"

He watched, smiling, as the last reiatsu cluster took on the shape of another baby girl.

"Seven sisters! Seven sisters!" Gia shouted, "Six baby girls and me! We can name them after the stars!"

"But your name is Gia," said Byakuya, holding the last baby in his arms and kissing her gently on the forehead, "There is no 'Gia' among the pleiades."

"But there is a _Maia_," Gia told him matter-of-factly, "So my nickname will now be Maia. I get to choose my name, because I am the oldest sister. Is that all right?"

Byakuya nodded.

"You may have the nickname Maia, if you wish."

Gia stood and made her way past each of her new sisters, letting Orion see them. The baby boy babbled and drooled excitedly and reached out with his hands. Several of the newborns began to cry.

"Ah, hell," Renji groaned, closing his eyes in distress for a moment, "It's starting already. Sibling rivalry…"

Byakuya laughed softly and closed the redhead's yukata, then set one of the baby girls in his arms. Renji looked down in the baby girl's eyes that were just like his, and smiled widely.

"Aw, damn, we make great looking kids, Bya!" he sighed.

Byakuya didn't reply but helped the redhead sit up, then leaned against him. Relieved cries went up all around as a group of healers burst through the smoke and joined them in the gardens.

"You're kinda late for the party," Renji chuckled as Hanatarou dropped down next to him, "but I'm glad you're here. I'm worn out. Check on my girls."

"You're all going to the healing center to be checked over," Hanatarou announced, "Unohana taichou has several rooms ready."

"But I'm fine," objected Renji, "I just need to rest."

"That would be hard to do here," Byakuya said, looking back at the ruins of the manor, "I think we should consider ourselves lucky and go to the healing center."

"Ah, yeah, I guess you're right."

Byakuya looked around the gardens and motioned for the head of security to come closer.

"I want you to put our best people on this," he said quietly, "I want to know who did this."


	19. Father's Day

**Chapter 19: Father's Day**

"Now, go through those names slowly again," Renji said, gazing down at the gurgling red-haired infant in his arms, "Which one is this?"

"Oh," said Gia, "That's easy! That's Electra. She's the one with the tiny feet and starburst eyes, and she grabs you and Daddy Bya and won't let go."

"Electra…got it," said Renji, "And who are you holding?"

"I am holding Celaeno. She has the darkest skin."

"And Bya is holding…?"

Gia laughed.

"_Daddy Ren_! That's Orion! He's the only boy and he has black hair!"

"Okay, I think I have these three down…Electra…Orion and Ce…Ce…"

"Celaeno, Daddy Ren!"

"Shit! How do you say that again?"

"Celaeno," repeated Gia, "That's spelled C-e-l-a-e-n-o."

"Oh kami, don't confuse me. I can't even _say_ them all, let alone _spell_ them!"

"Then, in the bassinets are Asterope on the left. She makes the scrunchy face and cries the most."

"A-asterope," repeated Renji, looking overwhelmed, "Electra, Orion, Cel…"

"Celaeno," Byakuya prompted him.

"I know! Celaeno, Asterope. Go on," said Renji.

"To the right of Asterope is Alcyone," Gia went on.

"Oh hell…" Renji muttered, "Look, we have to think of easier names for these girls! My brain can't handle all of them! How about a Lucy…Sarah…I don't know…Bob!"

"Daddy Ren," Gia said placatingly, "It's not that hard. It's kind of like when I was trying to learn my first set of kido spells. Just focus on one or two that are easy and than add the new ones one by one. Now, there's only two more to go. To the right of Alcyone is Merope. She has the longest hair and she babbles the most."

"O-kay…wait, wasn't there another –ope in there somewhere?" Renji asked, looking confused again.

"Asterope," said Byakuya, "She is on the left of Alcyone."

"…who is to the left of Merope," finished Gia.

"Oh, gods…" sighed Renji, closing his eyes and shaking his head, "No more!"

"The last one," Gia went on, "is Taygete. She is on the right end, next to Merope."

"Come again?" queried Renji.

"Taygete," Gia said patiently.

"Really Abarai," Byakuya sighed, smiling, "It isn't nearly as difficult as you are making it."

"Says the walking Ecyclopedia Kuchikia…" muttered the redhead.

"Oh, Daddy Ren!" giggled Gia, "You are so silly!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Now that Tay…Tye…"

"Taygete," said Byakuya.

"Taygete," repeated Renji, "is on the end nest to which –ope?"

"Merope," provided Gia, "Do you have it now?"

"Huh," said Renji, looking around at all of the babies, "I think so. Bya has Orion."

"That's so easy!" said Gia, rolling her eyes, "try one of the girls."

Renji smiled playfully.

"You are Gia," he said, looking proud of himself for remembering.

"Or Maia," Gia stated primly, "That's my 'star' name."

"Oh, now you have more than one name?" asked Renji, narrowing his eyes, "I can barely remember one per person! Don't start giving kids more than one!"

"Okay," said Gia, grinning, "You can still call me Gia."

"_Thank you_!" said Renji, sounding very relieved.

"So who is the baby you're holding?" asked Byakuya.

"Ah…uh…" said Renji, "Wait, don't tell me. Ah, she's the grabby one…um…um…"

"It starts with an 'E,' said Gia.

"Electra!" Renji said triumphantly, "Now, can we stop? I'm tired and really, really hungry!"

"But you just had a big snack, Daddy Ren!" objected Gia.

"He needs to restore his reiatsu after giving birth to all of those babies," Byakuya explained, "You shouldn't tease him about his appetite, Gia. We want him to eat."

He nodded and met Renji's relieved eyes.

"What can we get for you?" he asked, a small smile on his lips.

"Well," said Renji, "She'll have to go to the noodle shop down the street to get it."

"Ah, the 'double portion sweet and sour chicken with noodles?" Byakuya asked.

"That's the one!" Renji said, smiling gratefully.

"Very well," said Byakuya, "Simply tell me which baby Gia is holding and I will send her with Hanatarou to get your lunch."

"Oh!" snapped Renji, slapping a hand to his forehead, "Bya, your are really a pain in the ass!"

"I was kidding," said Byakuya, smirking, "Gia, please go with Hanatarou and bring back Renji's lunch."

"Okay!" the girl said, returning Celaeno to her bassinet.

They were interrupted by the door opening as Unohana taichou stepped into the room.

"Hello Abarai fukutaichou," she said, smiling, "How are you feeling?"

"Um…tired from learning all of those names…and starving!"

"We are going to get Daddy Ren some lunch from the noodle shop," announced Gia.

"That's very good," said the healer, nodding in approval, "and be certain to bring something for Kuchiki taichou as well. He seems to be neglecting himself."

"I am fine, truly," Byakuya insisted.

Unohana's eyes widened and focused harder on the noble, her smile grew and her reiatsu sparkled warningly.

"I am sure you are merely ignoring your discomfort as you focus on Renji. And once Gia returns with your lunch, I am certain that you will rediscover your appetite."

Renji and Gia grinned and exchanged knowing glances.

"Um, Daddy Bya?" the girl asked, "What would you like me to bring you?"

"Spicy chicken and steamed rice with vegetables," Renji said, before Byakuya could speak, "Heavy on the spice."

"Arigato, Abarai," said the noble, "but I can speak for myself."

"Just trying to help," said the redhead.

"You can help by getting some rest," Byakuya said, slipping Orion into his bassinet, then taking a clingy Electra from Renji's weary arms.

The redhead blinked sleepily as Unohana taichou and a group of attendants rolled the bassinets out of the room.

"Gia," the healer said, "I would like you and Hanatarou to run an errand for me before you go to the noodle shop. It won't take too long and it will give you fathers some time to rest before their lunch arrives."

"That…" Renji started, then yawned, "…that sounds good."

The others left the room and Byakuya rose and slipped into a comfortable yukata, then crawled into bed with Renji, curling around his life partner and resting his head on Renji's long, soft hair. Renji chuckled softly.

"It's a lot less of a stretch wrapping your arms around me, ne?" he asked, nestling deeper into Byakuya's embrace.

"You were carrying our children," the noble assured him, "and although it did become somewhat of a challenge near the end when we both became so large, it had its own charm, ne Renji?"

"Yeah," said the redhead, chuckling, "It was actually kinda fun working around that."

"I remember."

The two fell silent for a moment.

"Bya," Renji said quietly after a moment, "Did the staff find anything out about who set the fire?"

"No," replied the noble, "but do not worry. As it was an attack on two taichous, Soutaichou has ordered a more thorough investigation by the second division, and the Kuchiki elders have also sent a specialized group in to assist with the investigation. There are many people working on this, I assure you."

"And…do you think we are all safe here?" the redhead asked, trying not to sound as worried as he felt.

"The children are heavily guarded and watched, Renji. Right now, in addition to being with Hanatarou, Gia is surrounded by stealth force. Our children are safe."

"Good," Renji sighed, "That's a big relief."

"I am glad," Byakuya said, kissing him on the throat, just beneath his earlobe, "Now, rest, Abarai. I am going to make you memorize the rest of those girls' names before dinner."

"Great," Renji mumbled, cuddling closer and turning to kiss the noble several times on the mouth, "I think I'll need an extra long nap."

He felt something hard press against his backside and smiled.

"But is there something else to attend to before that?"

"My apologies," Byakuya said, shifting to relieve the pressure, "I just can't seem to help it when we are near each other."

"That's okay," chuckled the redhead, guiding his life partner's hand to his own thickened length, "See? I have the same problem."

"Ah," said Byakuya, nodding, "and I will wager that you will resist sleeping until you have been relieved of your discomfort."

"You wager right, lover," Renji purred softly, turning and opening their yukatas.

"Just a moment," Byakuya said, slipping out of bed to lock the door.

He crawled back into bed and settled onto the redhead's chest, his fingers trailing lightly over the stark black lines that decorated it. There was a moment of hesitation as they regarded each other in the darkness and silence of the room.

"It has been a while," Byakuya said softly,

"Yeah," the redhead agreed, turning Byakuya onto his back and curving a large, warm hand around his head, sinking his fingers into the noble's hair and fastening his mouth tightly on Byakuya's.

Their kisses, at first, were slow and deep, growing gradually in intensity, and were joined by the hungry thrust of their hips into one another's.

"Mmmm," sighed Byakuya, "Renji, are you sure you are up to this? Perhaps we should wait…"

"I'm tired," the redhead admitted, "but I miss being with you even more."

"I feel the same," the noble admitted, "but I didn't want to put pressure on you so soon after having your babies."

Renji laughed.

"That was a lot of work," he acknowledged, "but I'm really glad you were there, helping me. I have to admit that I was kinda scared. But you'd already been through it, so I felt like if you weren't worried, I didn't have to be either."

"And it turns out that there was nothing to worry about."

"Except for the creep who burned down our house. I just wonder who would do that. Before…I would instantly have thought of _him_…but he's dead."

"So we are left to wonder. But I am sure that the stealth force will, at very least, come up with some useful information. And while we wait, we should try not to let our worries keep us from enjoying this time we have alone together."

"Hmmm," said Renji, sinking into the noble's mouth again, "You're right, of course."

"Of course," agreed Byakuya, sucking the redhead's tongue into his mouth again.

They fell silent again, forcing themselves to mind the volume of their sounds of pleasure as their touches deepened and grew more sensuous.

"Bya," Renji moaned softly, "What about the switching?"

"Easy enough," Byakuya whispered, "One of us will maintain control until after we switch and then we will finish and switch back."

"Actually, I was thinking you could stay in my body for a while and impress Gia with how fast I can memorize those names."

"No," Byakuya said, smirking, "I am afraid you have to learn those names on your own. It is your job as a father. And besides, I do not like sweet and sour chicken and noodles."

"I'm not real fond of spicy stuff either. All right," Renji sighed, "Slavedriver!"

"I beg your pardon," the noble said, nipping at Renji's lips.

Renji nudged his way under the noble's chin, attacking the sensitive skin of his throat as Byakuya tilted his head back to welcome the pleasant contact. The noble's fingers continued to trace the lines of Renji's tattoos over the proud chest and in bold strokes moving down to his, once again slim and muscular abdominals. He pushed his hips upward, creating heat and delicious friction as Renji's mouth reacquainted itself with Byakuya's pale, sweet flesh. Renji's hands moved down to pleasure and to prepare him, then the redhead paused and met his eyes good naturedly.

"Bya," he said, smirking, "You, uh, haven't been to any council meetings lately, ne?"

"No," smiled Byakuya, "And the last few times I've gone, I have placed a kido block around myself to ward off any more fertility spells."

"Ah, good," sighed Renji, "because I've hit the wall as far as learning kids' names. My brain is at capacity!"

"Nonsense," said the noble, pushing his hips upward again, "You just need repetition."

"Repetition?" the redhead said, grinning and pushing inside the noble's body, "Like…this kind of repetition?"

He began a steady rhythm of slow, deep thrusts, making his lover's eyes glaze over and his body move instinctively in response.

"Oh, gods, Renji," Byakuya moaned breathlessly, "_Just _like that!"

"It's not too hard on your back, ne?" the redhead asked, pausing, "You're still healing…"

"Oh…don't you dare stop. That feels wonderful!" exclaimed the noble, "My back is fine."

"Good," sighed Renji, intensifying the motion if his hips again, "because this feels too damned good to stop…"

"Then…" panted the noble dizzily, "B-by all means…c-continue!"

Renji gazed down into Byakuya's beautifully contented expression, pushing in deeply and feeding him hard kisses as the redhead's body shivered with pleasure and released into the noble's. Power flashed around them and each felt the odd, dizzying sensation of the switching.

"We really need to learn to exert some control over this…" commented the noble, "although sometimes I enjoy being in your body."

"Yeah," giggled Renji, "because you can tell the elders to fuck off and no one wonders why, ne?"

"There is that," Byakuya agreed, "but also it is the only time I let myself relax completely."

"I like seeing you relax," Renji commented, turning him onto his hands and knees and entering him from behind, "You don't do that often enough."

"Except with you," the noble noted.

"Except with me," Renji repeated, thrusting harder and earning a deep, contented growl.

He chuckled softly to himself, noticing how it didn't even feel strange anymore when they switched bodies, and that he actually kind of enjoyed seeing and pleasuring his own body using Byakuya's.

"Bya," Renji hissed softly as they neared climax, "You were lying about your back not hurting."

"I must have been distracted from the pain," the noble sighed almost incomprehensibly as pleasure swept over them and carried them back into their own bodies again.

They rested in each other's arms for some time as their bodies regained their equilibrium, then they slipped out of bed and enjoyed a leisurely shower together before dressing and returning to the room. Renji laid down in bed and Byakuya sat in the chair next to it, resting his head comfortably next to the redhead's.

Some time later, the door opened and Gia burst in, carrying their lunch. She smiled as she delivered each meal, and the two men paused as they realized that in addition to their food, there was a small envelope attached to each food container.

"Happy Father's Day!" Gia laughed excitedly.

"Gia, how very thoughtful!" said Byakuya, smiling, as he opened and read his card.

"I had completely forgotten because of all of the babies and names," sighed Renji, "Thanks, Gia."

They each kissed and hugged their daughter, then fell to chatting about fun things to do after they left the hospital. And as they exchanged happy banter, dark, malevolent eyes watched from outside the window…

_Tomorrow…Renji…_


	20. Retribution

**Chapter 20: Retribution**

"Renji?" Byakuya whispered, his words barely penetrating the redhead's fogged mind as he lay, shivering beneath the blankets.

He looked up into his lover's concerned gray eyes and tried his best to give Byakuya an encouraging smile.

"Hey…what're you doin' awake in the middle of the night?" he scolded his spouse gently, "You need to rest as much as I do. Lie down."

Byakuya shook his head, frowning.

"You seem to have a fever," the noble said, washing his face with a wet washcloth and kissing him on the forehead, "I'm going to find a healer."

"I'm okay," Renji said wearily, "I just feel kinda cold."

"Well, you are burning up," Byakuya said, sliding to his feet and wincing as a jab of pain went through his back and legs, "You need…"

"I'll be fine. Just get back in bed. You look like you need another pain block."

"Is someone causing trouble in here?" asked Isane from the doorway, "I thought I heard voices."

"Renji seems feverish," Byakuya said, looking up at her.

"And my lovely spouse needs another pain block," said Renji.

Isane smiled.

"Well, I can certainly help with both of those."

She left for a moment and returned with a syringe. Renji paled and flinched.

"Th-that's not for me, is it?" he asked nervously.

"No, Abarai-san," the healer laughed, "This is the pain block for Kuchiki taichou."

"Oh…good," sighed the redhead, his teeth chattering softly from the chills running through him.

His stomach quivered as he watched the healer give Byakuya his injection and his eyes widened as she disposed of the syringe, then turned and started towards him.

"I-I'm fine," insisted the redhead, suppressing a shiver, "R-really, I'm okay. It's a waste of…"

"Oh, don't be silly, Abarai fukutaichou," said Isane, checking his temperature, "Anyone can see that you feel awful."

"Thanks," groaned the redhead, shivering harder as her cold hands touched his skin, "Thanks for n-noticing."

"Really, Renji, hold still and do not give Kotetsu fukutaichou so much trouble," Byakuya said, frowning.

"Well, I don't know why you're all getting so up in arms. It's not that big a deal," Renji complained.

"Hmmm," said Isane, shaking her head, "It seems that you have contracted an infection. It happens sometimes with new moms…erm…birth parents. A simple antibiotic injection will handle it. I will be right back with that."

She turned and left as Renji sat up and started to climb out of bed.

"Where the devil do you think you are going, Abarai?" Byakuya asked quickly, "Lie down!"

"Aw, come on! You heard what she said. She's gonna come back in here with a big huge needle an…"

He stopped mid-sentence, gently stunned by a small burst of kido from Byakuya's calm hand.

"I don't like you very much right now," he groaned, collapsing back onto the bed as Isane returned to the room with another syringe in her hand.

Byakuya smirked and suppressed an affectionate chuckle as Renji's eyes closed and Isane gave the senseless redhead his injection.

"Is he going to be all right?" Byakuya asked softly, "He seemed quite restless."

"He'll be fine," Isane assured Byakuya, "Like I said, parents who have just delivered, because of the strain on their bodies, will be more susceptible to infections. But we caught it in plenty of time. He will need rest, but he will recover quickly."

Her eyes softened.

"You should get some more rest as well, Kuchiki taichou," she advised him, "There is inflammation in your back and legs. The injection I gave you will ease the pain and the swelling, but you must rest and carefully manage your physical activity until you are fully healed."

"Of course," Byakuya said, nodding and allowing her to help him back into bed next to Renji, "Arigato, Kotetsu fukutaichou."

"Call for me if you need anything else or if Abarai-san seems worse."

Byakuya watched as she left the room, then curled around Renji's still overly warm body and drifted slowly off to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji stirred sluggishly, groaning fitfully and trying to force his eyes to focus. He knew he had heard Byakuya's voice, and even in his mind-fogged state, that it had been a sound of surprise and distress.

"B-bya?" he moaned, surprised at how weak he felt.

Then he remembered…

_I felt this way before…when he…he…Oh my kami!_

He struggled to move, but found that a repressive kido had been set in place to hold him down. He tried to call for help, but the pressure of the kido field was so great that he couldn't speak loud enough to summon help.

"Wh-what are you…d-doing to him?" he gasped, squinting and trying to bring the man leaning over Byakuya into focus.

"Don't worry," said a low, hissing voice, "I'm just making sure that he won't follow. I have sealed away his spirit energy and I'm tying him down."

"Don't hurt him!" Renji moaned, "you've put him through too much already, you bastard! It's because of you that he lost three of our babies!"

"Actually," said the other, "it was because of you. I didn't want to hurt any of your babies. I was going to kill Kuchiki-sama…but not until after the babies were born. And I didn't want to hurt you either, Renji. But you left with them. You left me inside that burning place. I was going to die, but I refused to die alone. I ran out of the fire and I was going to take you over the cliff with me. If you wouldn't come with me willingly and you caused me to die, I was going to take you with me! But Kuchiki-sama got in the way. He is always getting in the way. I have taken his powers and tied him down, and I am giving him a poison to keep him from coming after us. He will have to stay here to be healed and we will get away this time."

"You bastard! Don't do that! He's already been through enough!"

"I happen to agree with you about that," Hisoka said, tying the barely conscious taichou's wrists to the rail of the hospital bed, "Losing his babies was enough punishment for him. It is you who needs to pay, Renji, for the babies he lost, for refusing me, for _killing_ me! So we will go quietly now and you will pay for everything!"

"Fine! But…but don't give him the poison. He isn't strong enough yet to handle it. He's still too weak. You will kill him and our babies won't have anyone to care for them when I am gone! Please…just…knock him out and leave him tied up. I'll go with you. I will."

Hisoka finished tying Byakuya down and sent another shock of kido through him to weaken him.

"_Renji_…" he managed in a whisper, "Renji, don't…go with him. Don't…leave me!"

"Be quiet, Kuchiki-sama," Hisoka said, reaching into his pocket and removing a syringe, "You shouldn't even be conscious. You are too much trouble. I will have to risk poisoning you. You could die. And if you die, then you will leave your babies alone. You don't want that, ne? So be calm. Be calm and do not interfere with us."

"No," said Byakuya in a suddenly tranquil voice, "I have already lost someone I love before…and I swore that if love found me again, I would not let it go…even if holding on to that love destroyed me."

Hisoka inhaled sharply as a white glow formed around the noble.

"What are you doing?" he snapped, "You are draining your life force! Stop! Are you crazy?"

"I will not let you take him. And if I am too weak to stop you, I will burn up my very life force to find the strength to break these bonds and come after you."

"No," said a gentle voice in Byakuya's ear, "Bya, I can't let you…"

"Renji?"

Hisoka leaned over Byakuya's restrained body bringing the syringe down.

"Don't!" cried Renji, "I can stop him without that. I swear I can!"

"Then do it now," Hisoka hissed, "or I will give him the injection. You have about five seconds."

"Renji!" Byakuya gasped, struggling against the kido.

"I love you," Renji said softly, "and that's why I can't let you destroy yourself for me."

"Don't…"

Renji focused on the places where his body touched Byakuya's and closed his eyes.

"You're the best thing that ever happened to me…Byakuya."

"_Renji_!"

"_Hakufuku…"_

Byakuya's eyes went wide with shock, then slowly glazed over and his body went still. Frozen in place and sinking into darkness, Byakuya heard a soft whisper in his mind.

_Thank you, Bya…for everything. You don't have to destroy yourself trying to save my life. You already saved me…by loving me. Now, let me protect you. Our kids need at least one parent to raise them. You and I know what it's like to grow up without our parents. Don't make our kids have to go through that. Just…stay here. I'll come back to you if I can._

Renji took a last look at his unconscious lover as Hisoka sealed the redhead's powers away, then lifted the repressive kido and dragged him to his feet.

"One word from you," the hollow warned him, "and I will kill him right in front of you. Now, come quietly."

"Fine," the redhead said softly as Hisoka opened a garganta and shoved him into it.

The two disappeared from the room, leaving the unconscious and heavily bound taichou behind.

XXXXXXXXXX

_"Master," whispered Senbonzakura, "Master, wake up."_

_Byakuya opened his eyes and found himself in his inner world, and lying in the samurai's strong arms. He looked wearily up at the spirit, then blinked and sat up with a shocked look on his face._

"_Renji!" he exclaimed, "We have to go after Renji! Hisoka has become a hollow…a strong one. He took Renji!"_

"_I know," Senbonzakura replied, "But you cannot go in your condition. You are without your powers and tied down…and you are unconscious. Master, you are also still struggling with your injury."_

"_It doesn't matter," Byakuya said resolutely, "I have to go after him. I won't allow him to die. With every last breath, I will fight for him!"_

_Senbonzakura thought for a moment, then met his eyes warily._

"_There is a way we can still fight," he said softly, "Master, will you entrust this to me?"_

_He reached up and removed his mask. Byakuya gazed up into the samurai's blue eyes and nodded._

"_I trust you, Senbonzakura."_

"_Then…yield to me all of your reiatsu and free me. I swear that I will use all of our combined strength to protect Abarai Renji and Zabimaru!"_

"_It is a terrible risk we take," Byakuya said reaching up to touch his zanpakutou's face gently, "If you are defeated while manifested and you are no longer bound to me, you will die, and I will be forced to live without you for the rest of my life. But I haven't the strength right now to protect him…and I know that you do. So…drain me of everything but my life force and go to him."_

_The samurai closed his eyes for a moment, a soft shiver passing through him at the idea of what he was about to do. He placed a hand on Byakuya's chest and felt the noble relax in his arms. Slowly, he slipped beneath the seal and tapped into Byakuya's sealed power. Light flared around the two and Byakuya winced as his spirit energy drained out of him and into Senbonzakura. As the power moved from one to the other, their eyes locked and the samurai gave the noble an encouraging smile. He continued the power drain until the flow between them slowed and Byakuya's eyes began to glaze over._

"_You are too weak to remain here now," said the spirit, lacing the fingers of one hand into the noble's, "You must release me now, Master."_

_Byakuya looked deeply into Senbonzakura's eyes._

"_The bond is broken," he whispered, "I free you."_

_Senbonzakura's eyes went wide as the full moon in their world expanded until its light was blinding. Samurai and noble cried out in distress as their inner world shattered and both were thrown free. _

Byakuya's spirit was thrown violently back into his restrained form and Senbonzakura appeared and dropped down onto the floor of the hospital room. He was on his feet again instantly and bending over Byakuya to shatter the kido that was restraining him. Healers burst into the room and he met the eyes of a tall woman with black hair and gentle blue eyes, who looked back at him with understanding.

"You are his zanpakutou," she said, smiling at him, "You are Senbonzakura."

The samurai nodded.

"He gave me all of his reiatsu and freed me to fight for him. Abarai Renji has been abducted and taken to Hueco Mundo. I will go to Urahara Kisuke and seek his help in tracking Abarai-san."

Unohana taichou nodded.

"And I will take care of your master. I will see that he is kept stabilized until your return."

"Arigato," said the samurai, flash stepping away.

Unohana taichou leaned over Byakuya and examined him carefully, then turned to the healers who had entered the room with her.

"Bring him and come with me," she ordered them, "He has been severely depleted. We will need Inoue Orihime's assistance in stabilizing him."

She watched in silence as the healers lifted the noble onto a stretcher, then they left the fourth division and turned towards the central senkaimon.

XXXXXXXXXX

Gia heard footsteps in the hallway outside the room she shared in the healing center with her siblings. She slipped out of bed and used the line of bassinets to keep the healer on duty from seeing her as she entered the hallway. She caught sight of Unohana taichou and a group of attendants carrying an unconscious shinigami.

"D-daddy Bya?" she whispered.

She remembered the games of hide and seek she had played with Shihoin Yoruichi and used a combination of her flash step and the things around her to keep herself concealed as she followed the group to the senkaimon and into the precipice world. They emerged into a park that Gia remembered, then turned towards Urahara Kisuke's shop. Gia followed and slipped into the shop just behind them. She worked her way to the door of the room they all entered and listened to their voices.

"He is very weak. He gave all of his reiatsu to Senbonzakura, keeping only what he needed to sustain his life, and then he broke the bond between them," Unohana taichou explained to Kisuke.

The shopkeeper nodded.

"Senbonzakura showed up here, saying that Byakuya had freed him to go after Renji, who was abducted by the hollow form of that creep that kidnapped Byakuya and Renji before. I sent him on to Hueco Mundo…with Ichigo and Rukia. I figured that, one way or another, Byakuya would follow. So I also sent Ururu and Jinta after Orihime. They should be back any minute."

Gia flash stepped past the door and to the entrance to the underground training area. She slipped inside and climbed down the ladder, watching all around her for signs of anyone else being there. She remembered seeing Kisuke use the garganta and moved towards the area on silent feet. She found the place on the ground and focused her power, gasping softly as the garganta opened in front of her.

"I'm coming to find you, Daddy Ren!" she whispered.

She moved into the underground cavern, catching her breath and feeling her heart pound as the garganta sealed itself behind her. Biting her lips nervously, she broke into a run, focusing on trying to sense traces of Renji's reiatsu. She sensed Ichigo's reiatsu easily and followed it, figuring that if anyone would be able to find her father, Ichigo would. Once or twice, she thought she heard someone behind her, but when she looked back, she didn't see anyone, so she continued on. She found the exit Ichigo had used and dropped down into the dark sand. A cold wind disturbed the sand around her and sent shivers through her. Gia sensed Ichigo's trail and moved to follow, wanting to get away from the area she was in quickly.

_I don't want to run into any hollows on the way to them…_

She started to flash step but inhaled sharply in surprise as a hand came down on her shoulder and stopped her.


	21. Dreams and Nightmares

**Chapter 21: Dreams and Nightmares**

Renji woke to complete darkness and silence. And unable to feel anything, and without the ability to move, he had no idea what might have happened to him. He remembered a garganta opening and walking inside, taking a last, desperate glance at Byakuya's restrained body, then he turned to walk in the direction of Hueco Mundo and…

_That's where it all ends…_

_What in kami's name happened to me?_

_Am I dead?_

_I should feel something…somewhere, shouldn't I?_

He reached out with his senses, trying to determine if he was alone, to pick up sensations of hot or cold, to make some kind of a connection with his body, but he was so frozen, that he couldn't feel or move anything.

_Damn it!_

_Am I even still in my body?_

_I have no idea at all!_

"Are you afraid?" a voice hissed softly in his mind.

He couldn't even tell if the sound was in his ears or only in his head. He tried to speak, but found himself unable.

"Are you worried that you are dead, Renji?"

_Not anymore_, he thought, _If I'm hearing his voice, then I'm alive._

"You probably just figured out you're alive," said Hisoka's voice, "but you still don't know what kind of condition you're in. For all you know, you could be without your limbs…eyes, ears…yes, you have no idea, do you? And you cannot move or speak, so you don't know if you have your tongue. But you know, if I took your tongue too soon, then I couldn't hear you scream properly. I want to hear you scream…the way I did when you left me in that fire…trapped and burning. Do you feel it?"

The sensation began slowly and gradually worsened, starting on his face and arms and spreading outward and around until he felt himself burning up all over. He grunted in pain, but decided that Hisoka wasn't going to let him off so easily, killing him immediately.

_Not that burning to death is an immediate thing, but this guy is one twisted fucker. This isn't real. The bad part is, it feels real…and this son of a bitch can just keep burning me alive for as long as he wants to. And having no sensations except for that burning on my skin, I can't tell how long it lasts. I don't have a point of reference, not even using my thoughts…because thought can vary in speed. There's no point of reference there._

_Damn it!_

"Do you know that you are screaming?" Hisoka's voice asked, "You can't hear it. You can only hear what I allow you to. Would you like to hear yourself scream?"

And the next thing he knew, it was like someone had suddenly removed a set of earplugs from his ears. The sound of his screaming was horridly loud and he couldn't control it. The burning continued all over his body, even searing his mouth, his tongue, his throat. He screamed until he was hoarse and still kept screaming until he disappeared into the pain and awful sound of his ragged voice. When it stopped, he wondered for a moment if the stops on his ears had been replaced, but then he registered the heaving of his chest as he panted hard in recovery.

"Bastard!" he gasped hoarsely, surprised that he could hear his own words.

"You really are terribly vulgar," Hisoka said quietly, "You know, not all Rukon folk are as foul mouthed as you. But I like to think that reliance on such language displays a lack of both imagination and intelligence. Simply put, you use a few repeated vulgarities because your less educated mind can't supply you more eloquent words and your lack of imagination prevents you from using creative euphemism."

"Yeah, right," muttered Renji, "Is there an eloquent and creative way to say, 'Go fuck yourself?' Wait a minute…no…GO FUCK YOURSELF!"

He could almost feel the hollow's creepy smile.

And his laugh was even creepier.

"Oh…Renji…what a lovely suggestion. But I have something much better in mind. Poor, confused Renji," said Hisoka, "You have no idea what's real anymore, ne? So tell me, Renji…what do you think of this?"

All at once, his senses returned to him completely, and the redhead found himself standing up, and face to face with himself in a full length mirror. His stomach quailed and his throat went dry as he took in the sight. His body had gone white, so his tattoos stood out starkly on his skin. He was now adorned in the white livery of the Arrancars, with his zanpakutou at his waist and a stark, white, bony mask that covered his forehead and the left side of his face, and bore tattoos over the holes where his, now glowing red, eyes peeked through.

_Shit…he knew exactly what to do, didn't he?_

"You are rather quiet now, Renji. You know that this is what I had planned for you, ne? That I would bring you to Hueco Mundo and doom you to the same futile existence that you gave me? I think you make a lovely Arrancar…and because you are a hollow, you can never go back. You can never leave me again. And even if your former husband _does_ find his way here, he can't save you. All he will be able to do for you is to kill you himself, so that he can put your soul to rest."

"You bastard!" screamed Renji, drawing his sword, "Come out here and show yourself! I dare you!"

"Be careful with that weapon," Hisoka warned him, "Hollow weapons work differently than the shinigami's."

"I don't care whether this sword is hollow or shinigami, or whether I shoot kido or ceros!" the redhead cried, "Whatever I am, as soon as you show me your cowardly ass, I'm going to fucking KILL YOU!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Gia started to scream, but the sound was cut off as a huge hand covered her mouth. She stared wide-eyed at the big hollow who gazed sternly down at her.

"Be quiet, girl!" he said in a rough voice, "You will attract hollows that you really don't want to meet."

He loosened his hold on her so that she could speak.

"Are you tracking Abarai Renji?" he asked her.

Gia shivered and nodded.

"H-how did you know?" she asked softly.

"I am Naizetsumei," the hollow told her, his golden eyes blinking slowly, "I became acquainted with Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Byakuya when they were Sato Hisoka's prisoners. I have also been watching Hisoka-san since he came to Hueco Mundo as a hollow, himself."

"S-sato Hisoka became…a hollow?" Gia repeated in shock, "Th-then, was he the one who came and burned the manor?"

Naizetsumei nodded.

"He did. And he has Abarai Renji in his hideout. Three others came this way looking for Abarai Renji and I showed them where he is."

"Then you can show me too!" cried Gia, "Take me to Daddy Ren!"

"Now, wait a minute, girl!" the big hollow exclaimed, "You can't just go barging into Hisoka-san's place like that. Use your head. You are just a little thing and I'll wager you don't even have a zanpakutou!"

"I have kido," Gia said, glaring, "And I'm not letting some mean hollow take my Daddy Ren! I am going to protect him! I don't care if I don't have a zanpakutou yet! I am a shinigami! I promised that I would fight anything that tries to do wrong, and I would protect the people I love! Now, let go of me!"

She stomped on the hollow's foot, making him give a yelp of pain, then she formed a kido ball and struck him in the belly with it, making him let out a resounding 'OOF!' and let go. Naizetsumei shook his head in surprise and barely managed to catch the girl by the back of her shihakushou. He lifted her up in the air and growled at her. The girl continued to strike at him with hands and feet.

"Let go of me you…you…_bastard_!" she yelled.

The hollow's eyes widened for a moment, then he chuckled softly and lowered her onto her feet, still holding on to the back of her shihakushou.

"You _are_ like Abarai-san," he commented, "much like Abarai-san. You say he is your father?"

"Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Byakuya are both my fathers," said Gia, "I am adopted. They adopted me from Inuzuri."

"Which, in addition to being Abarai-san's daughter, explains your temperament, fighting style and language, ne?" the hollow said, lifting an eyebrow, "Well, girl…"

"My name is _Gia_!"

"Very well then, _Gia-chan,_" Naizetsumei went on, "There is no way you are ready to take on Hisoka-san on your own. But I can see you are not going to give up either. I don't want to try taking you to Kuchiki Manor, because the shinigamis might kill me on sight, so I will lead you to the others who came here and let them deal with you. But you must promise to do exactly as I tell you or I will just knock you out and throw you over my shoulder, ne?"

Gia frowned sullenly, but nodded, deciding that either way, she was going to find her father.

"Very well then," said the big hollow, "It is this way."

Gia's eyes narrowed.

"How do I know you're not just trying to trick me so that you can eat me?" she asked sternly.

Naizetsumei chuckled.

"Because if I wanted that badly to eat you, I would have done it already…especially after you stomped on my foot!"

Gia turned and followed as he led the way.

"S-sorry about that," she said, jumping from one of his big footprints in the sand to the next, "And sorry I said a bad word at you. I was just mad because I want to get Daddy Ren back."

The hollow shook his head and smiled.

"Come along Gia-chan."

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya drifted silently in darkness, feeling his own soft inhale and exhale to tell him he was still alive. He wasn't sure where he was, but he was buoyed by the memory of sending Senbonzakura to find Renji. He trusted the samurai implicitly. But then, he remembered, Senbonzakura could be a little bit inclined to get into innocent mischief…more from simply not knowing better, rather than just being gifted at finding trouble as Zabimaru was. He sighed softly in regret, wishing deeply that he could have been strong enough to go after Renji himself. The redhead needed him. And it felt wrong not to have the strength to be there for him.

He was distracted by a soft giggle and realized that the sky around him was brightening…

He knew he couldn't be in his inner world, as it had been destroyed when he had freed Senbonzakura. But as the laughter sounded again, he smiled, remembering that he had been here before. He had, in fact, made numerous trips to the special place in the king's gardens, where the three little red-haired spirits waited for him to appear to visit with them.

"Daddy Bya! Daddy Bya!" they cried, flash stepping to meet him.

They slid to a stop, staring at his simple white shihakushou and bare feet. Byakuya dropped to his knees, watching as they approached him more cautiously, their intelligent gray eyes studying him curiously.

"Daddy Bya," said one of the girls, "Are you all right? I see you, but I don't feel your reiatsu."

Byakuya gave her a gentle smile and touched her face lightly.

"I had to give my reiatsu to my zanpakutou so that he could go and help Renji. He was taken from us by a very powerful hollow, and I was too injured to help him."

"Y-you…freed your zanpakutou?" the girl repeated, wide eyed.

"I had to do that to protect someone I love…your other father, Renji," Byakuya answered, giving each girl a hug.

"Can _we_ help Renji, too?" asked the smallest of the girls, "We want to protect our daddy too!"

"Oh, I don't think so, child," Byakuya said, giving her a sad smile, "Your brother is only a baby. He doesn't even know what is going on and is far too young to fight. You will grow bigger and stronger soon, but it will be some time before you and Orion learn to fight together."

"But we are different!" said the one of the other girls, "We are Sanhoshi, a fully formed zanpakutou. We can fight…but…we need someone to wield us. Could you?"

Byakuya sighed softly and gave her a look of regret.

"I have no reiatsu," he said quietly, "And even if I did, my back and legs were badly injured that day when I fell from the cliff. I haven't yet regained my strength."

"But there is a way you can wield that blade," said the spirit king's voice from behind the noble, startling him.

Byakuya turned and looked up at the monarch's gently obscured face.

"How?" he asked, "How can I wield Sanhoshi?"

He could feel that the king was smiling.

"Your inner strength and your will to protect your loved ones has caused Sanhoshi to develop those characteristics as well. And with the binding of your desires to protect, you can connect with this zanpakutou and fight."

"But…I have given all of my reiatsu to Senbonzakura…"

The king nodded.

"But you are in the presence of one who possesses the ability to provide you with a body capable of fighting."

Byakuya's eyes widened in realization.

"I am in Karakura Town?" he asked softly.

"You were taken to Urahara Kisuke's shop for healing by Inoue Orihime. She cannot restore you quickly enough, but Urahara Kisuke can help you."

"But before you can wield us, we have to tell you our names," said the three girls, "Our names are part of the release command."

"I am Alnilam," said the first.

"I am Alnitak," said the second.

"And I am Mintaka," said the last.

"Named after the three stars in Orion's belt," said Byakuya, nodding, "So I say your names…"

"You say our names and give the command, 'Rise into the night sky, Sanhoshi!'" said Mintaka.

"And each of us has a special ability for you to use in battle," said Alnilam, "I act as Sanhoshi's shield."

"I am Sanhoshi's Sword," said Alnitak.

"And I fire volleys of arrows," added Mintaka.

"You see, Daddy Bya?" the girls said together, "We _can _help you!"

"Then help me you will," said Byakuya, rising.

"But first you have to wake up! Wake up, Daddy Bya! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"

Byakuya's eyes closed and he felt the sensation of falling. He floated senselessly for a time, trying to connect with his weakened body, but unable to make himself move. He focused deeply, thinking about how Renji needed him. Renji had long been his most capable protector, and now it was time for him to be there for Renji. He focused on his connection with his body, straining to make himself move or to open his eyes. He heard a soft sound of surprise and opened his eyes to find Orihime leaning over him, her golden oval extended over him. She lowered her hands and the golden power faded.

"You shouldn't be awake yet," the girl said softly, "Unahana taichou said that you should sleep through the night."

"There is no time," he said, sitting up slowly, "I need to speak to Urahara-san."

The door opened suddenly, and the shopkeeper entered the room with Yoruichi at his side.

"Ah, Byakuya-san, you are awake," said Kisuke.

"I need your help," Byakuya said, gazing up at them, "I have to go after Renji."

"What?" said Yoruichi, "You don't have any powers! Might I remind you that you gave all of your reiatsu to Senbonzakura?"

"I know," admitted the noble, "but I have it from a reliable source that there is a zanpakutou that is willing to connect with me to act in Renji's defense."

"I see," said Kisuke, his eyes narrowing, "but you need a body that is in better condition for fighting and has full reiatsu, ne?"

"Yes," said the noble, nodding.

"I think I can help you," said Kisuke, "I still have samples of your reiatsu from when I was investigating the body switching and pregnancies. It should be easy enough to use your reiatsu to prepare a mod soul you can use for the fight. The only catch is, because of the short prep time, you're going to have to be a little careful with the mod soul. A couple of good hits on you and you'll find yourself powerless again. Add to that, the fact that a sudden power surge could cause you and Renji to suddenly switch bodies, and the whole thing's kinda iffy."

"Then why take the risk?" asked Yoruichi.

"Because," said Kisuke, "I sensed earlier that someone used the garganta without permission. I checked to see who it was…and I found your Gia-chan's reiatsu."

"Gia?" Byakuya repeated, his eyes widening.

"Don't worry, Byakuya-san," said Kisuke reassuringly, "I will have that mod soul ready for you in a wink."

"I'm going on ahead," said Yoruichi, "Maybe I can stop her before she gets very far."

"Arigato, Senpai," Byakuya said, nodding, "I will join you as soon as the mod soul is ready."

"Come, Byakuya-san," said Kisuke, "Let's get you powered up!"


End file.
